GB2223051A

GB2223051A - Safety barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2223051A
Application number: GB8918349A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Aftab Alam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-08-11
Filing date: 1989-08-11
Publication date: 1990-03-28
Also published as: GB8918349D0

Abstract

A child safety barrier having an openable gate (8) eccentrically located in a frame comprising an above-ground-level securing means (13) and at least one ground-level securing means (15). A side member with pads 6 engages one side of a door frame or passageway and the adjustable securing means (13, 15) engage the opposed side. The frame may be constructed in a variety of ways from several bent tubular members welded together to define the eccentric opening for the gate. <IMAGE>

Description

"Safety Barrier" This invention relates to a safety barrier which is used to limit the movement of children and pets, especially as a barrier to those areas such as staircases, kitchens, and other thresholds. One such barrier as described in British Patent GB 2,179,389 has an openable gate mounted in the centre of a U-shaped barrier frame which allows easy access to adults. The gate opening in the cited barrier is narrow and therefore cumbersome to use by bulky adults.

The present invention provides a safety barrier which is suitable for providing a wider opening for passage by adults.

According to the present invention there is provided a safety barrier for positioning between the opposing supports of a passageway, comprising a rigid frame having an eccentrically located opening adapted to receive an openable gate, said frame having an above-ground-level member carrying an adjustable securing means, a ground-level member extending from one opposing support to the other and having at least one adjustable securing means, a binding member to physically bind said above-ground-level member to said ground-level member and a side member juxtaposing one of the two opposing supports of the passageway.

The binding member may extend laterally and coplanar to the barrier plane and provide housing for the ground-level barrier securing device. An openable gate is preferably mounted either on the side member or on the binding member. The gate preferably has a closing mechanism, which may be such as to push outwardly the U-shaped configuration of the barrier frame, or may be a non-pressure exerting means.

Preferably, a single element is used to form the above-ground-level member and said binding member.

Preferably, the side member and the ground-level member are constructed of a single component.

The binding member may either meet the ground-level member at a right angle or at an inclination to a right angle, and similarly the side member may either meet the ground-level barrier member at a right angle or an inclination to a right angle.

Preferably, the side member is provided with one or more levelling means and paddings to press against the passageway support, and the ground-level barrier member is provided with feet.

Preferably, the barrier frame is constructed from rectangular hollow tube the wider faces of which are parallel to the plane of the barrier.

Preferably, there are bars and brackets to narrow the gaps between the barrier members.

Preferably, the barrier securing device is extendible having a hand turning wheel and a threaded bar which extends outwardly to jam against the opposing supports.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows the spatial arrangement of the principal members of a barrier frame, Figs 2 to 9 are front views of alternative forms of barrier frame, Figs 10 to 13 are front views showing complete barriers, Fig. 14 shows an extension member, Fig. 15 illustrates the extension member of Fig.

14 in use, Figs 16 and 17 are similar to Figs 14 and 15, respectively, illustrating an alternative extension, Figs 18 to 20 illustrate tubing which may be used in forming the barrier frame, and Fig. 21 shows a securing device.

Fig. 1 shows various members of a safety barrier frame in mutual spatial arrangement. The frame includes a ground-level barrier member 1 close to the ground, an above-ground-level barrier member 3, and a side member 2. Figs 2 to 9 show various ways in which these components can be bound together for the construction of a barrier. In Fig. 2 a single component is used for the construction of the above-ground-level barrier member 3, which provides a housing for an extendible barrier securing device 13, and a binding member 4 to bind with the ground-level member 1; the binding is achieved either by welding, screws, or by nuts and bolts. Another securing device 15 is mounted on the ground-level member 1.

Rectangular hollow tube 20 is used for the construction of the barrier frame, as shown in Fig. 18. Two opposing sides of the tube are wider than the other two. The edges of the tube can be either rounded, as in Fig. 20 or right-angles, as in Fig. 19. The tube is bent on the narrower sides. Reverting to Fig. 2, the member 2 is mounted on the ground-level member 1. The side member 2 is provided with two levelling devices 6 with soft paddings. Two feet 7 are mounted on the ground-level member 1. A bar 5 and a bracket 14 are mounted between the above-ground-level member 3 and the ground-level member 1 in order to narrow the gap between the barrier members and the passageway support.

Fig. 3 shows use of a single length of rectangular tube used for the construction of the side member 2 and the above-ground-level member 3. In Fig. 4, the above-ground-level member 3 is integral with the binding member 4 via a curve, and the end which meets the ground-level member 1 is straight. In Figs 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9 the end of the binding member 4 which meets the ground-level member 1 has a stress relieving bend which helps counteract the bending force. In Fig. 6 the side member 2 and the ground-level member 1 are made of a single rectangular hollow tube. Fig. 8 shows a barrier frame where the binding member 4 meets the ground-level member 1 at an inclination to right angle, and similarly the side member 2 may also meet the ground-level member 1 at an inclination (not shown in the drawings).

An openable gate 8 is mounted on the barrier frame as shown in Figs 10, 11, 12 and 13. The gates are mounted on spring-hinges 12. The spring-hinges 12 are such that during gate closing action they enable downward movement of the entire gate 8. The bottom frame of the gate 8 has a J-feature which engages with the ground-level barrier member 1. The gate 8 may be provided with two types of locking devices; Figs 1q and 11 show a gate closing mechanism 28 having a clamp 9 which exerts outward pressure when the gate is closed. Fig. 12 shows a simple latch non-pressureexerting mechanism. The gate 8 can be mounted either on the side member 2 as shown in Fig. 11 and 12, or on the binding member 4 as shown in Fig. 10.

The gate may also be mounted (not shown) on spring hinges which require upward pulling of the gate for opening and closing.

Fig. 21 shows an extendible barrier securing device which consists of a turning handwheel 17 mounted on a threaded bar 16. The advancing end of the threaded bar has a rubber face 18. The barrier securing device is mounted within the hollow end of the above-ground-level members, using a mounting sleeve 19. The ground-level securing device may also be mounted on a lateral extension of the binding member.

In Figs 2, 10, 11, 12 and 13 the ground-level-barrier member 1 contains one extendible fastening device 15.

A second securing device may also be mounted on the other end of the ground-level member 1.

Levelling devices 6 may consist of a threaded bar 27 (Fig. 13) having a rubber face 6 mounted at the front end. The levelling devices 6 are mounted on the side member 2 using a threaded mount (not shown). The levelling devices 6 are used if the passageway wall is not uniform, as shown in Fig. 13. The threaded bar 27 will be extended to contact with the passageway wall and levels the two meeting points of the side support.

Figs 14-16 show extension members for the two sides of the safety barrier. Fig. 14 shows an extension member which can be mounted on the barrier after removing the securing devices 13 and 15, as shown in Fig. 15; whereas Fig. 16 shows an extension member 24 which can be mounted on the side member of the barrier, as shown in Fig. 17.

In order to use the barrier it will be positioned between the opposing supports of the doorway or stairway. The paddings on the levelling devices 6 on the side member will press against one of the opposing supports. If the doorway side is not smooth or level, as shown in Fig. 13, the levelling device 6 can be used. The threaded bar of the levelling device will be extended to contact the side wall and enable two point contact of the side member with the side wall. The barrier is secured in position by using the barrier securing devices 13, 15. When the wheel 17 is turned, the rubber face 18 advances and presses against the other side wall securing the barrier firmly in position. The gate 8 can be opened by adults for passage and closed after passage. For wider passageways, the extensions can be mounted either on the side member or on the member having the securing devices.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the Claims.

Claims

1. A safety barrier for positioning between the opposing supports of a passageway, comprising a rigid frame having an eccentrically located opening adapted to receive an openable gate, said frame having an above-ground-level member carrying an adjustable securing means, a ground-level member extending from one opposing support to the other and having at least one adjustable securing means, a binding member to physically bind said above-ground-level member to said ground-level member, and a side member juxtaposing one of the two opposing supports of the passageway.

2. A barrier according to Claim 1 wherein a single element is used to form said above-ground-member and said binding member to bind with the ground-level member.

3. A barrier according to Claim 1 wherein a single element is used to form said above-ground-level member, said binding member, and said side member.

4. A barrier according to Claim 1 wherein a single element is used to form said side member and said ground-level member.

5. A barrier according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the side member is provided with paddings to press against one of the two opposing supports of the passageway.

6. A barrier according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the side member is provided with levelling means to press against a non-uniform surface of said one support.

7. A barrier according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said side member is adapted to receive a barrier extension member.

8. A barrier according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said ground-level member and said above-ground-level member are adapted to receive a barrier extension member.

9. A barrier according to any of the preceding Claims wherein said binding member joins is inclined to said ground-level member.

10. A barrier according to any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said binding member joins said ground-level member at a right angle.

11. A barrier according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the junction of the binding member to the ground-level member consists of a bend.

12. A barrier according to any of Claims, wherein said ground-level member is constructed from hollow rectangular tube the wider faces of which are parallel to the plane of the barrier frame.

13. A barrier according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the barrier securing means are independently adjustable and exert compressive pressure against the respective support of the passageway.

14. A barrier according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the gate is mounted on the binding member.

15. A barrier according to any of Claims 1 to 13, wherein the gate is mounted on the side member.

16. A barrier according to any preceding Claim, including a gate closing mechanism to hold the gate closed in the frame.

17. A barrier according to Claim 16, in which the gate closing mechanism is adapted to apply outward pressure to the frame.

18. A barrier according to any preceding Claim, in which the frame includes additional bars or brackets within the spaces formed by said members.

19. A barrier according to any preceding Claim, in which the securing means comprises a handwheel threadedly engaged with an outwardly-extendible threaded bar.

20. A barrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.