GB2179389A

GB2179389A - Child-proof safety gate

Info

Publication number: GB2179389A
Application number: GB08620207A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rozarieux David De
Original assignee: KID DESIGN GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: KID DESIGN GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 1986-08-20
Filing date: 1986-08-20
Publication date: 1987-03-04
Also published as: CA1282618C; EP0257975A2; GB2179389B; GB8620207D0; AU600507B2; AU7721387A; EP0257975A3

Abstract

A child-proof safety gate for a doorframe or other threshold (F), comprising a stationary frame comprises two wings (12, 13), having outer edges adapted to engage corresponding vertical sides of the threshold, and a base (14) interconnecting the wings, and a wicket (11), complementary in shape to the stationary frame, hinged (15) to an inner edge of one of the wings, the hinge axis being inclined to the vertical in use such that the wicket tends to swing open about the hinge from a closed position, generally co-planar with the stationary frame, to an open position, under its own weight. <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB2179389A 1

SPECIFICATION

Child-proof safety gate k 1 50 This invention relates to child-proof safety gates, i.e. gates which may be temporarily fitted in door-frames, across staircases or at other thresholds, to prevent access by infants while allowing adults to walk through.

One known gate of this type comprises: a stationary frame having generally rectangular, upright wings joined by a horizontal base por tion; and a rectangular wicket hinged to the vertical inner edge of one of the wings above the base. The wings are provided on their vertical outer edges with horizontally-adjust able anchors for frictional engagement with the side walls of the door-frame or corre sponding frame. By tightening the anchors, the stationary frame is compressed horizontally, 85 and the frictional engagement of the anchors with the door-frame retains the safety gate against externally-applied forces.

One problem with such a gate is that, un less the gap for the wicket between the 90 wings is quite narrow, the stationary frame yields too much to the horizontal compression forces at the top, distorting the shape of the stationary frame so much that the wicket may be trapped. Making the wicket sufficiently nar row to avoid this distortion introduces the fur ther problem that the gap left on opening the wicket is then too narrow for an adult easily to walk through.

One further drawback of this known gate is that the wicket tends to swing back rapidly to the closed position if it is allowed to rebound against a stop when fully open. This can be dangerous, particularly if an adult is attempting to walk through the gate with an infant.

Accordingly, the invention provides a childproof safety gate for a doorframe or other threshold, comprising:

a stationary frame comprising two wings, having outer edges adapted to engage corresponding vertical sides of the threshold, and a base interconnecting the wings; and a wicket, complementary in shape to the stationary frame, hinged to an inner edge of one of the wings, the hinge axis being inclined 115 to the vertical in use such that the wicket tends to swing open about the hinge from a closed position, generally co-planar with the stationary frame, to an open position, under its own weight.

The wicket, according to the invention, is thus biased gravitationally to the open position, avoiding the problem of the wicket rebounding, particularly when the arrangement is such that a lower corner of the wicket engages the ground at a fully open position. Further, the inclination of the hinge axis allows the gap for the wicket between the wings to widen upwardly, and this is a preferred feature of the invention. It has been found that by providing at least one, preferably both, of the wings with inner edges which are inclined upwardly and outwardly, and in this way providing such an upwardly widening gap, the sta- tionary frame has a greater resistance to horizontal compression forces which may be applied for holding the safety gate at the threshold. Since it is in the upper region of the gate that the width of the gap is most important with regard to ease of access by adults, the invention is thus capable of providing a gate with sufficiently easy access for adults through the wicket and yet which can withstand horizontal compression forces sufficiently to enable it to be fitted at a threshold by frictional engagement.

Preferably, the wicket is generally trapezoidal, its upper and lower edges being generally straight and parallel.

The wings preferably have right-angled lower, outer corners, and are preferably generally triangular.

In order to accommodate widely varying widths of threshold, one or more lateral extension frames may be provided, for attachment to one or both wings.

The base preferably extends the full width of the stationary frame, and is preferably connected to the bottom edge of each wing so that the wicket is suspended above the underside of the base to provide a vertical clearance, when the wicket is closed, between the undersides of the wicket and of the base. The vertical clearance is preferably such, in relation to the angle of inclination of the hinge axis and the size of the wicket, that the wicket may be opened at least a quarter-turn to a fully open position at which the said vertical clearance is zero. In use, with the base resting on flat ground, the wicket would engage the ground at this fully open position.

The wicket is preferably releasably held at its closed position by a catch on the wing opposite that wing to which the wicket is hinged, the catch preferably being releasable only by raising the wicket, the hinge allowing a limited degree of such vertical movement.

The catch is preferably provided with a releasable safety latch for preventing the raising of the wicket. The safety latch is preferably biased to its locked position at which it prevents the raising of the wicket, so that the wicket may be opened only by the release of the safety latch and simultaneously with the raising of the wicket.

The outer edge of one, preferably both, of the wings is preferably provided with at least one horizontally adjustable anchor for frictional engagement with vertical sides of the threshold to retain the safety gate. The horizontal adjustment of the anchor or anchors places the stationary frame under compression, giving rise to friction between the anchor.or anchors and the side or sides of the threshold, suffici- ent to resist externally-applied forces on the 2 GB2179389A 2 safety gate. Preferably, two such anchors are provided at vertically-spaced positions on the or each outer edge.

In order that the invention may be better understood, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying diagram matic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a safety gate embodying the invention fitted in a doorframe; Figure 2 is a side elevation, to an enlarged scale, of a catch of the safety gate of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side elevation, to an enlarged scale, of a hinge of the safety gate of Figure 80 1.

The safety gate 10 is generally symmetrical about a central vertical axis, and comprises two wings 12,13 interconnected by a base 14 extending horizontally across the full width of 85 the safety gate. A wicket 1 1, trapezoidal in shape with parallel, horizontal top and bottom edges, is hinged at one of its side edges to an inner edge of the right-hand wing 13. The wings 12,13 are generally triangular, with right-angled lower, outer corners, and the wicket 11 and wings 12,13 are coplanar and complementary in shape in their common plane.

The safety gate 10 has two vertically- 95 spaced, horizontally-adjustable anchors 18 at the outer edge of each wing 12,13 for fric tional engagement with vertical sides of a doorframe F. Each anchor 18 comprises a bolt 20 in screw-threaded engagement with a hori- 100 zontal bore through the corresponding outer edge of the wing. The inner end of the bolt is connected to a knob 21, and the outer end is connected to a friction block 19. The horizontal position of the friction block 19 is 105 adjustable, relative to the stationary frame comprising the two wings 12,13 and the base 14, by turning the bolt using the knob 21.

Appropriate adjustment of the anchors 18 places the stationary frame 12,13,14 under 11 compression, giving rise to frictional forces at the blocks 19 sufficient to resist externally applied forces on the safety gate.

Each wing 12,13 comprises of a hollow, rectangular-section tube of inverted W' shape, 115 having vertical and inclined limbs joined by a curved section. The lower ends of the limbs are fixed to the base 14. Each wing further comprises vertical guard bars 22,23 whose lower ends are fixed to the base 14, for pre- 120 venting access by infants.

The wicket 11 comprises a closed, trapezoi dal frame of hollow, recta ngula r-section tube, similar to that forming the edges of the wings 12,13, and has five guard bars 24 extending 125 betwen its upper and lower edges in a fan shape, to prevent access by infants. The wicket is suspended by a pair of identical hinges 15 spaced along a hinge axis parallel to, and closely adjacent, an edge of the 130 wicket 11. The hinge axis is inclined to the vertical by an acute angle which is in the range of W-400, preferably about 300.

As shown in Figure 3, each hinge 15 com- prises a pintle 151 fixed to the inner edge of the wing 13 by a bracket, and an open-ended socket 152 fixed to the edge of the wicket by a bracket. The pintle 151 extends through the socket 132 and has a burred upper end to retain the pintle in the socket. A limited degree of vertical movement (arrows 27, Figure 3 and 25, Figure 1) is allowed, to enable the wicket 11 to be raised for opening, as described below.

A vertical clearance is provided by the base 14, between the undersides of the wicket 11 and of the base 14. In use, with the base resting on flat ground (as shown in Figure 1), the wicket then opens under gravity through an angle of at least a quarter-turn to a fully open position at which the lower, outer corner of the wicket engages the ground, and remains gravitationally biased to that operi position. The angle of inclination of the hinge axis and the vertical clearance under the wicket are, of course, selectable to provide any predetermined maximum angle of opening of the wicket.

The wicket is releasably held at its closed position, as shown in Figure 1, by two., catches 16,17 spaced vertically along the edge of the wicket opposite the hinges 15, and along the corresponding inner edge of the left-hand wing 12. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, latch pins 161,171 project horizontally from the wicket 11 to other portions of the catches which are fixed to the wing 12. Each catch 16,17 has a U-shaped bracket 162 which receives the corresponding latch pin 161,171 through an upper opening and which then prevents horizontal movement of the pin 161,171. The upper catch 16 also has a hook-shaped latch 163 which pivots (arrow 26) about the U-shaped bracket 162 to lock 0 the pin in the bracket 162.

The lower catch 17 acts as a stay, and has no locking latch 163. In use, the wicket is held closed by both catches 16,17, and may be opened only by pivoting and holding the locking latch 163 away from engagement with the pin 161 of the upper catch 16, simultaneously raising (arrow 25) the wicket 11 on its hinges to lift the pins 161,171 clear of the Ushaped brackets 162, and then allowing the wicket to turn about its hinges under gravity. The deliberate complexity of this opening operation is sufficient to prevent infants from opening the wicket.

In order to accommodate a wide range of widths of doorframe F, or other types of threshold, a lateral extension (not shown) may be fitted to one or both wings. This could consist of a rectangular frame with two anchors 18 on its vertical side edge, the opposite side edge being connectable to the outer 3 GB2179389A 3 1 k 1 edge of the corresponding wing by removing the anchors 18 thereon and fitting connecting bolts in their place.

The principal elements of the safety gate are preferably made of steel coated with plas- 70 tics material.

Although the invention has been illustrated by the particular example shown in the draw ings, various modificatipris are envisaged, still within the scope of the invention. For example, although the method of opening and closing the wicket, using the particular hinges and catches shown and described above, is considered most advantageous, a more con ventional latch could be used without the need for vertical movement of the wicket. Further, although the configuration of the wicket and wings provides a gap, for access with the wicket open, which widens upwardly, and gives rise to a particularly good resistance to horizontal compression forces, other configura tions are possible, still allowing the hinge axis to be inclined.

Claims

1. A child-proof safety gate for a doorframe or other threshold, comprising:

a stationary frame comprising two wings, having outer edges adapted to engage corre sponding vertical sides of the threshold, and a 95 base interconnecting the wings; and a wicket, complementary in shape to the stationary frame, hinged to an inner edge of one of the wings, the hinge axis being inclined to the vertical in use such that the wicket tends to swing open about the hinge from a closed position, generally co-planar with the stationary frame, to an open position, under its own weight.

2. A safety gate according to Claim 1, wherein the gap for the wicket between the wings widens upwardly from the base.

3. A safety gate according to Claim 2, wherein the inner edges of both the wings are inclined upwardly and outwardly.

4. A safety gate according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the wicket is generally trapezoidal, its upper and lower edges being generally straight and parallel.

5. A safety gate according to any preceding claim, wherein the wings have right-angled lower, outer corners.

6. A safety gate according to Claim 5, wherein the wings are generally triangular.

7. A safety gate according to any preceding claim, further comprising one or more lateral extension fra es for attachment to one or both wings, to, enable the gate to accommodate thresholds of different widths.

8. A safety gate according to any preceding claim, wherein the base extends the full width of the stationary frame.

9. A safety gate according to Claim 8, wherein the base is connected to the bottom edge of each wing so that the wicket is sus- pended above the underside of the base to provide a vertical clearance, when the wicket is closed, between the undersides of the wicket and of the base.

10, A safety gate according to Claim 9, wherein the vertical clearance is such, in relation to the angle of inclination of the hinge axis and the size of the wicket, that the wicket may be opened at least a quarter-turn to a fully open position at wich the said vertical clearance is zero.

11. A safety gate according to any preceding claim, wherein the wicket. is releasably held at its closed position by a catch on the wing opposite that wing to which the wicket is hinged.

12. A safety gate according to Claim 11, wherein the catch is releasable only by raising the wicket, the hinge allowing a limited degree of such vertical movement.

13. A safety gate according to Claim 12, wherein the catch is provided with a releasable safety latch for preventing the raising of the wicket.

14. A safety gate according to Claim 13, wherein the safety latch is biased to its locked position at which it prevents the raising of the wicket, so that the wicket may be opened only by the release of the safety latch and simultaneously with the raising of the wicket.

15. A safety gate according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer edge of at least one of the wings if provided with at least one horizontally adjustable anchor for frictional en- gagement with vertical sides of the threshold to retain the safety gate.

16. A safety gate according to Claim 15, wherein two such anchors are provided at vertically-spaced positions on the or each outer edge.

17. A safety gate substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd, Dd 8817356, 1987. Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1 AY, from which copies may be obtained.