GB2402142A

GB2402142A - Walkway

Info

Publication number: GB2402142A
Application number: GB0411650A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Owen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-27
Filing date: 2004-05-25
Publication date: 2004-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-25
Also published as: GB2402142B; GB0312076D0; GB0411650D0

Abstract

A walkway 16 comprises at least two contiguous sections 18, 20, 22, each having a decking portion 26. Adjacent edges of adjacent sections 18, 20, 22 are releasably secured together by hinge means 28 allowing adjustment of the angle of the plane of one of the adjacent sections with respect to the other. Support means 42 are provided for supporting the sections 18, 20, 22 at a required height above the ground. The hinge means 28 may comprise a respective bifurcated member secured to each adjacent section each with its arms extending towards the other section, the arms of adjacent bifurcated members being connected by a pivot pin extending through holes in the arms.

Description

"Imp ovomants in or reJ3Lig to An Access Svatem" This invention relates to

an access system particularly, but not exclusively, for providing access to portable buildings.

When a portable building such as a "Portakabin", Registered Trade Mark, is installed it is necessary to provide an access system for allowing access to the door. An access system in the form of a staircase of the type described in the applicants copending U.K. Patent Application No. 0303226 is already known which is of a modular construction to enable the height of the staircase to be constructed on site to match the height of the door sill of the building above the ground which varies according to intr-alia the particular location of the building.

In addition, it is also often necessary to provide in combination with the above staircase, or independently thereof, an access system in the form of a walkway which includes one or more inclined sections suitable for wheelchair access to the door. Here again, the height of the door sill above the ground varies according to inter-alia the particular location of the building and known walkway systems have suffered from. the disadvantage that it has been necessary to construct a custom-made system for the particular location of the building. In addition the required height for the walkway can only (2) normally be determined once the building has been installed and levelled and it will be appreciated the construction of such a custom-made walkway which is a time consuming operation not only delays the provision of a suitable access to a newly installed portable building which can cause delays in installing internal fittings in the portable building but also is relatively expensive.

The object of the present invention is to provide an access system in the form of a walkway which alleviates one or more of the above disadvantages of a conventional system According to this invention, an access system in the form of a walkway for providing access to a building comprises two or more contiguous sections each including a walkway decking portion, wherein adjacent edges of the sections are releasable secured together by hinge means for allowing adjustment of the angle of the plane of one decking portion of one section relatively to the plane of the decking portion of the other one of the sections and support means is proN,ided for supporting the sections at a required height above the ground.

Preferably, the support means is connected to the hinge means.

Preferably, also, the longitudinal axis of the support means passes through the pivotal axis of the hinge means.

Each section, preferably, comprises two spaced-apart (3) longitudinally extending side members having the walkway decking portion releasable secured to and extending therebetween.

Preferably, the hinge means is releasable connected between the ends of the associated side members of each section.

Preferably, also, the hinge means comprises a first bifurcated member releasable secured to one section with the arms thereof extending towards the other section and a 1Q second bifurcated member releasably secured to the other section with the arms thereof extending towards said one section wherein the arms of the first bifurcated member and the arms of the second bifurcated member are releasable connected together in overlapping relationship by a pivot pin extending through aligned holes in said arms of the first and second bifurcated members.

Each of the arms of said bifurcated members is, preferably, provided with an arcuate slot spaced-apart from the pivot pin through which a clamping bolt can be inserted to secure the first and second bifurcated members in angularly adjusted position, Preferably, the support means comprises a support member connected to the pivot pin and extending therefrom with the axis thereof passing through the axis of the pi vat pin.

Preferably, also, the support member is provided with (4) a hole through which the clamping bolt passes to secure the support member in adjusted position.

The support member is, preferably, bifurcated and the pivot pin and clamping bolt extend through aligned holes in the arms thereof.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view from one side of an access system; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a hinge assembly of the access system; Figure is a side elevation of the hinge assembly shown in Figure Z of the drawings.

Figure 4 is a side view of part of a section of the access system showing a guard rail section; and Figure 5 is a diagrammatic end view of part of a section of the access system showing the guard rail section and a canopy assembly in partially dismantled condition.

Referring now to the drawings, an access assembly indicated generally at 10 for use in providing access to portable buildings or the like (not shown) comprises a staircase 12 and a landing 14 both of the type described in the applicants co-pending U.K. Patent Application No. 0303226 and a walkway indicated generally at 16 extending (5) from the edge of the landing 14 remote from the staircase 12' The walkway 16 is shown formed of three sections IS, 2G and 22 each of which are modules of a standard size and width, but it will be appreciated a walkway could be formed of any number of sections according to the requirements of height or length for a particular location of the portable building.

Each section 18, 20 and 22 comprises parallel spaced--apart side members 4 having decking plates 26 extending therebetween and bolted thereto, In addition, cross members (not shown) are releasably connected between the side members 24 to increase the strength and rigidity of each section 13, 2Q and 22. Where it is required to provide a change in the angle of the plane of the decking - plates 26 of one section to another, hinge means indicated generally at 28 are releasable connected between the adjacent ends of the side members 24 of said sections.

Each one of the hinge means 28 comptlses a first bifurcated member 30 bolted to the end of the side member 24 of one section with the arms 32 thereof extending towards the other section and a second bifurcated member 34 bolted to the end of the side member 24 of the other section with the arms 36 thereof extending towards said one section with the arms 36 within and in overlapping relationship to the arms 32. A pivot pin (not shown) extends through aligned holes 38 in the arms 32 and 36 to (6) secure the members 30 and 34 together and permitting angular adjustment of the angles of the planes of the decking plates 26 of said one section to the other section adjacent thereto. Each of the arms 32 and 36 are provided with arcuate slots 40 through which a clamping bolt (not shown) is secured to clamp the members 3& and 34 together in adjusted position. A support member 42 is provided having a bifurcated upper end in the arms of which there is formed a hole 44 through which the pivot pin extends.

The arms are also provided with a hole 46 which is brought into alignment with the slots 40 and through which the clamping bolt (not shown) extends. The lower end of the member 42 its bolted to a cylindrical portion 48 which can be connected to additional cylindrical portions 49 to form a support member 42 of the required height which rests on a ground engaging platform 50 such as a paving slab. It will be appreciated that the longitudinal axis of the support member 42 passes through the pivot axis of the hinge means 28 to provide optimum stability and strength 2Q thereof as it is only subject to compressive forces. The section 22 is adapted to engage the ground at its right hand end to form a ramp which has a slope of 1 in 12, the section 20 is arranged to be horizontal and the section 18 is inclined again with a slope of 1 in 12 to the landing 14 thus meeting the necessary requirements for disabled access. (7)

Referring now particularly to Flqures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the side members 24 of the sections 1B, 20 and 22 have guard rail sections 7 ndicated generally at 52 bolted thereto and each guard ral1 section 52 is bolted to adjacent sections 52 which also increases the strength of the walkway 16.

Each guard rail section 52 comprises tour spaced-apart vertical spindles 54 connected together at their upper and lower ends by horizontal members 56. The end spindles 54 of each guard rail section S2 are formed of flat bar to facilitate the bolting together of adjacent sections. The upper member 56 has a hand rail 58 secured thereto and the lower member 56 is bolted to the associated side member 24 by bolts 60 each extending through an associated hollow cylindrical spacer 62. An intermediate level hand rail 64 shown in broken lines is connected to the spindles 54 of each guard rail section 52 for use by children.

A canopy assembly indicated generally at 66 in Figure of the drawings comprises pairs of support members 68 of a sickle shape each bolted at their lower ends to one of the spindles 54 of the associated guard rail section 52 and bolted together at their upper ends. The upper ends of the pair of support members shown in Figure 5 are shown separated in a partially dismantled position for the sake of clarity and can be brought together and connected by bolts ''not shown). Each pair of support members 68 are (8) connected to adjacent pairs of support members by stringers (not shown) extending longitudinally along the - walkway 16 which also results in the canopy assembly 66 acting to strengthen the walkway 16. A cover 70 of a S flexible sheeting of plastics material or pre-shaped sections of plastics material is mounted on the support members 68 and secured thereto so as to cover not only the width of the walkway 16 but also due to the sickle shape A of the support members 66 to extend beyond the side edges thereof to reduce the risk of ingress of any precipitation 5 such as rain or sleet or snow onto the surface of the walkway 16 and thereby reducing the risk of the walkway 16 becoming slippery underfoot for a user particularly on the inclined sections of the walkway 16.

In a modification, as one of the primary purposes of the access assembly 10 is t-or use by disabled persons in wheel chairs and although the guard rail sections 52 are designed to reduce the risk of a wheel of a wheel chair slipping over the side edge of the access assembly 10, a further safeguard can be provided by having an upwardly extending edge member on the side members 24. This can be simply an additional edge member of Lshaped cross-section bolted to the upper face of the side members Z4.

Alternatively, where the side members Z4 are formed from Shaped, U-sh. aped or T-shaped sections, the side members 24 can be inverted to provide the required upwardly ( 9) extending edge.

Where the access assembly 10 is used for providing access to a portable building, the construction of the assembly in the form of units which are bolted together allows the assembly to be dismantled and re-used when the portable building is re-locatad.

Although the access assembly 0 according to this invention is particularly suitable for use in providing access for portable buildings, it will be appreciated the assembly can be used in other locations and on conventional buildings without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

( 1 0) Claims: 1. An access system in the form of a walway for providing

access to a building comprising two or more contiguous sections each including a walkway decking portion, wherein adjacent edges of the sections are - releasably secured together by hinge means for allowing adjustment of the angle of the plane of one decking portion of one section relatively to the plane of the decking portion of the other one of the sections and support means is provided for supporting the sections at a required height above the ground.
2. An access system according to claim 1, wherein the support means is connected to the hinge means.
3. An access system according to claim 2, wherein the longitudinal axis of the support means passes through the pivotal axis of the hinge means.
4. An access system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each section comprises two spaced-apart longitudinally extending side members having the walkway decking portion releasable secured to and extending therebetween.
5. An access system according to claim 4, wherein the hinge means is releasable connected between the ends of the associated side members of each section.
6. An access system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge means comprises a first ( 1 1) bifurcated member releasakly secured to one section with the arms thereof extending towards the other section and a second bifurcated member releasably secured to the other section with the arms thereof extending towards said one section wherein the arms of the first bifurcated member and the arms of the second bifurcated member are releasably connected together in overlapping relationship by a pivot pin extending through aligned holes in said arms of the first and second bifurcated members,
7. An access system according to claim 6, wherein each of the arms of said bifurcated members is provided with an arcuate slot spaced-apart from the pivot pin through which a clamping bolt can be inserted to secure the first and second bifurcated members in angularly adjusted position.
8. An access system according to claim 7, wherein the support means comprises a support member connected to the pivot pin and extending therefrom with the axis thereof passing through the axis of the pivot pin,
9. An access system according to claim S. wherein the support member is provided with a hole through which the clamping bolt passes to secure the support member in adjusted position.
10. An access system according to claim g wherein the support member is bifurcated and the pivot pin and clamping bolt extend through aligned holes in the arms thereof, (12)
11. An access system constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.