GB2499231A

GB2499231A - Child safety gate

Info

Publication number: GB2499231A
Application number: GB1202289.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Walker; Paul Storey; Adam Yates
Original assignee: Mothercare UK Ltd
Current assignee: Mothercare UK Ltd
Priority date: 2012-02-09
Filing date: 2012-02-09
Publication date: 2013-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 2032-02-09
Also published as: GB2499231B; CN103244022A; GB201202289D0

Abstract

A safety gate, to prevent access to a staircase for a small child, comprising: a first fixed part 2 and a second fixed part 4 both arranged to be fixed to a wall and a pivoting part 3 pivotally mounted on the first fixed part 2 and comprising first 8 and second 9 parallel width members, and a fixing mechanism 11 arranged so as to hold the width members 8, 9 together over a continuous range 10 to vary the width of the gate. The fixing mechanism (61 Fig.9) can comprise a groove (62 Fig.9) in the first width member (58 Fig.9) and a captive part (65 Fig.9) on the second width member (59 Fig.9) having a captive portion (67 Fig.9) held in the groove (62 Fig.9), the second width member (59 Fig.9) comprising a mounting (66 Fig.9) for mounting the captive part on the second width member, the mounting selectively biases the captive portion against the internal surface. Also claimed is an alternative fixing mechanism comprising a clamp (20 Fig. 4b) which straddles the second width member 9 from a first side adjacent to the first width member 8 to a second side; and a biasing mechanism (15,16 Fig. 4b) which selectively biases the second width member 9 against the clamp (20 Fig. 4b).

Description

1

SAFETY GATE

This invention relates to a safety gate.

5 Safety gates are well known; typically they comprise a pivoting part held between two fixed parts so as to pivot on a first one of the fixed parts. The fixed parts are secured against the wall either side of an opening. The pivoting part will block passage between the fixed parts when it is pivoted into a closed position between the fixed parts or allow passage between the fixed parts when it is pivoted away from the 10 second of the fixed parts. Typically, the safety gate is sized so as to block passage of human children, typically toddlers (from the ages of around 1 to 3 years of age).

In particular, such safety gates are frequently used to prevent access to flights of stairs, either at the top of the flight, to prevent a child falling down the flight, or at the 15 bottom, to prevent the child climbing the stairs and then falling back down. In such a case, the safety gate can be known as a stair gate or baby gate. Such gates can also be used to contain household pets in a desired area.

The openings which it is desired to selectively block with a given safety gate may 20 vary in size, as there is no standard width of staircase or other opening. As such, a safety gate should be able to accommodate a wide range of opening widths. Prior art safety gates have achieved this by having a threaded member or other telescopic mechanism working in the fixed parts, which control the width of those parts. However, in order to achieve the range of width needed, the variation of length 25 required can lead to a safety gate that is less stable than desired.

According to a first aspect of the invention, we provide a safety gate comprising:

a first fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall;

a second fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall; and 30 a pivoting part pivotally mounted on the first fixed part for rotation thereabout,

the pivoting part having:

an open position in which it is pivoted away from the second fixed part and allows passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part; and a closed position in which it engages the second fixed part and blocks passage 35 between the first fixed part and the second fixed part,

2

in which the pivoting part has a width between the first and second fixed parts and comprises first and second parallel width members, and a fixing mechanism arranged so as to hold the width members together at a position selected by a user over a continuous range, wherein varying the position through the range varies the 5 width;

in which the fixing mechanism comprises a groove formed in the first width member and a captive part mounted on the second width member but having a captive portion held captive in the groove having an internal surface, the second width member comprising a mounting by means of which the captive part is mounted on the 10 second width member, the mounting being arranged to selectively bias the captive portion against the internal surface.

Thus, a relatively simple width adjustment mechanism can be provided, that allows for continuous adjustment of the width of the pivoting part; furthermore, given that the 15 captive part is held captive in one width member and mounted on the other member, it also harder for a user to accidentally separate the width members or lose part of the fixing mechanism.

Typically, the groove will comprise an internal slot internal to the first width member 20 extending along the width over the range and an external slot extending along the width over the range in communication over the range with the internal slot and the exterior of the first width member. Typically, the internal and external slots will together define a T-shaped slot. The internal surface will typically be that of the internal slot.

25

The captive part may correspond in cross section to the groove, so as to be received therewithin; the captive portion may be shaped so as to slide internally along the groove. The captive part may comprise a threaded member extending away from the captive portion. The mounting may comprise a rotatable part having a corresponding 30 thread which engages the threaded member such that rotation of the rotatable part drives the captive part along its length so as to selectively bias the captive part against the internal surface.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a safety gate 35 comprising:

3

a first fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall;

a second fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall; and a pivoting part pivotally mounted on the first fixed part for rotation thereabout, the pivoting part having:

5 an open position in which it is pivoted away from the second fixed part and allows passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part; and a closed position in which it engages the second fixed part and blocks passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part,

in which the pivoting part has a width between the first and second fixed parts 10 and comprises first and second parallel width members, and a fixing mechanism arranged so as to hold the width members together at a position selected by a user over a continuous range, wherein varying the position through the range varies the width;

in which the first width member is provided with:

15 a clamp which straddles the second width member from a first side of the second width member adjacent to the first width member to a second side of the second width member opposite to the first side; and a biasing mechanism which selectively biases the second width member against the clamp.

20

Thus, a relatively simple width adjustment mechanism can be provided, that allows for continuous adjustment of the width of the pivoting part.

In one embodiment, the biasing means comprises a cam in a cam follower body; the 25 cam being rotatable relative to the cam follower body to cause motion of the cam follower body relative to the second width member. Typically, in an unlocked state of the biasing means the biasing means will have a first depth in a direction perpendicular to the width members and in a locked state of the biasing means the biasing means will have a second width that is greater than the first width, the cam 30 being rotated relative to the cam follower body in the locked state relative to the unlocked state.

Thus, by using a cam rotating relative to a cam follower body, a relative small motion - typically around a quarter turn - can take the biasing mechanism from locked to 35 unlocked states (and vice versa).

4

The cam may comprise an elongate body having a cross section of a circle with a circular segment removed to define a flat edge (alternatively viewed, a circle with a flat edge); typically, the elongate body will be rotatable about its length. The cam 5 follower body may comprise a recess having a correspondingly-shaped recess in which the cam follower works; thus when the flat edge of the elongate body is positioned against a flat edge of the recess, the depth of the biasing means will be at the first depth, whilst when the elongate body is rotated so that the flat edge of the elongate body is not in engagement with the flat edge of the recess, the depth of the biasing 10 means will increase to the second width.

The biasing means may be provided with a clamping surface adjacent to the first side of the second width member; the clamping surface may be resilient and typically may comprise a rubber pad.

15

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a safety gate comprising:

a first fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall;

a second fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall; and 20 a pivoting part pivotally mounted on the first fixed part for rotation thereabout,

the pivoting part having:

an open position in which it is pivoted away from the second fixed part and allows passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part; and a closed position in which it engages the second fixed part and blocks passage 25 between the first fixed part and the second fixed part,

in which the pivoting part has a width between the first and second fixed parts and comprises first and second parallel width members and a fixing mechanism arranged so as to hold the width members together at a position selected by a user over a continuous range, wherein varying the position through the range varies the 30 width.

Thus, we provide continuously variable pivoting part. This means that less variation is needed in the width of the fixed parts, potentially leading to a more stable safety gate.

35

5

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a safety gate comprising:

a first fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall;

a second fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall; and 5 a pivoting part pivotally mounted on the first fixed part for rotation about a pivot axis,

the pivoting part having:

an open position in which it is pivoted away from the second fixed part and allows passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part; and 10 a closed position in which it engages the second fixed part and blocks passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part,

in which the safety gate further comprises a locking mechanism which, in a locked state, prevents the pivoting part from moving from the closed position to the open position and which, in an unlocked state, allows the pivoting part to move from 15 the closed position to the open position;

in which the pivoting part can displace along the pivot axis;

in which the locking mechanism comprises:

a bolt mounted on a first member being one of the pivoting part and the second fixed part;

20 a bolt biasing member arranged to bias the resiliently mounted bolt away from the first member;

a slot in the second member along which the bolt can slide, the slot running parallel to the pivot axis, such that whilst the bolt is in the slot, the pivoting part cannot pivot about the pivot axis;

25 a latch mounted on a second member being the other of the pivoting part and the second fixed part not being the first member; and a latch biasing member arranged to bias the latch away from the second member into the slot so as to block the passage of the bolt; and in which, in the locked state, the latch is biased into the slot, thereby blocking 30 passage of the bolt along the slot, and in the unlocked state, the latch is forced against the bias of the latch biasing member out of the slot, so that the bolt can travel along the slot and leave the slot as the pivoting part is displaced along the pivot axis, thus allowing the pivoting part to pivot.

6

Thus, this allows for a simple locking mechanism for a safety gate where only a single movement - the forcing of the latch against the bias of the latch biasing member -allows the bolt to be taken out of the slot and so the pivoting part to pivot.

5 Typically, the first member will be the pivoting part and the second member will be the second fixed part. The latch may comprise a user-engagable region that is engagable by the user in the locked state, and typically also the unlocked state. This may be of the form of a button. Thus, the user can press the button (and then lift the pivoting member) in order to open the safety gate. It is preferable to have the latch on 10 the second fixed member, as then the user can use one hand to press on the user-engagable region of the latch and the other to lift the gate.

The second member may comprise a housing in which the slot is formed. The area of the housing adjacent to the slot in a direction tangential to the pivot axis may be 15 bevelled, so as to provide a ramp for the bolt towards the slot as the pivoting part approaches the second fixed part. Because the bolt is resiliently mounted on the first member, the ramp may act to compress the bolt biasing member as the pivoting part approaches the closed position; as the pivoting part reaches the closed position, the bolt will engage the slot, thus typically automatically entering the locked state.

20

Each of the bolt biasing member and the latch biasing member may comprise a spring.

The safety gate of any of the aspects of the invention may be a stair gate (otherwise known as a baby gate), useable to selectively prevent access to a staircase, typically so 25 that small children or toddlers cannot fall down (or up) the stairs.

There now follows, by way of example only, embodiments of the present invention, described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

30 Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a safety gate according to a first aspect of the invention;

Figure 2 shows an exploded enlarged view of area A of Figure 1; 35 Figure 3 shows an enlarged elevation of area A of Figure 1;

7

Figures 4a and 4b show a cross section through C-C and B-B of Figure 3 respectively, with the fixing mechanism in the unlocked state;

5 Figures 5a and 5b show the same views as Figures 4a and 4b respectively,

with the fixing mechanism in the locked state;

Figure 6 shows an elevation of a safety gate according to a second embodiment of the invention;

10

Figure 7 shows a plan view of the safety gate of Figure 6;

Figure 8 shows an enlarged perspective view of area D of Figure 1;

15 Figure 9 shows the same view as Figure 8, exploded;

Figure 10 shows a cross section through line E-E of Figure 6;

Figures 11a and lib show an elevation and a cross section on line F-F of 20 Figure 7 respectively of the locking mechanism in a locked state;

Figures 12a and 12b show the same views as Figures 11a and lib respectively, showing the locking mechanism in the process of being unlocked;

25 Figures 13a and 13b show the same views as Figures 11a and lib respectively, showing the locking mechanism unlocked; and

Figure 14 shows a perspective enlargement of the locking mechanism of the safety gate of Figure 6.

30

A safety gate according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings. This embodiment relates to a safety gate where the structural parts will be formed of metal, although there is no reason why the teachings of this embodiment could not be applied in other materials, such as wood.

35

8

The safety gate 1 comprises first and second fixed parts 2, 4 and a pivoting part 3. The pivoting part 3 is pivotally mounted on the first fixed part 2 and can engage the second fixed part 4 via a locking mechanism 5. The first and second fixed parts 2, 4 would typically be fixed to walls either side of the opening through which access is to 5 be blocked.

The safety gate has a closed position, shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, in which the pivoting part 3 blocks access between the first and second fixed parts 2, 4 and an open position, not shown, in which the pivoting part 3 pivots 10 away from the second fixed part 4 so as to allow passage between the first and second fixed parts 2, 4.

In order to allow for different sizes of opening - that is different sizes of gap between the walls and so the fixed parts 2, 4 - the pivoting part 3 is formed of first and second 15 parallel width members 8, 9, which can be fixed rigidly together at any point over a continuous range 10 by means of a fixing mechanism 11 mounted on the first width member; the range 10 is shown in Figure 1 as the range of positions that the fixing mechanism could adopt on the second width member.

20 Each of the width members 8, 9 comprise a generally planar, rectangular body having a frame 13 surrounding bars 14, the spacing of the bars being fine enough to prevent a small child passing therethrough.

Thus, in effect, the two width members 8, 9 allow the pivoting part 3 to telescope 25 from a short length where the width members 8, 9 mostly overlap, continuously to a longer length where the width members 8, 9 do not overlap very much. Thus, because the adjustment is both continuous and wide ranging, there is no need to provide much, if any, width adjustment at the fixed parts 2, 4, although some may be advisable in order to accommodate for uneven walls.

30

The fixing mechanism 11 is shown in more detail in Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings. There is provided an identical fixing mechanism 11 at the distal ends (from the pivot of the pivot member 3) of the top and bottom frame 13 members of the first width member; in the following discussion, we consider only that 35 in the top of the frame 13, although they function in the same manner.

9

The fixing mechanism 11 comprises a rotatable cam 15 comprising an elongate body positioned along the width of the first width member 8. It is mounted within a cam follower body 16. The cross section of the cam 15 is circular, with a circular segment 5 removed, giving a flat face 19. The cam follower 16 has a groove 21 therein that has a correspondingly shaped cross section.

The fixing mechanism 11 also comprises a clamp 20. This extends from the first width member 8 over the second width member 9 to overhang the far side of the 10 second width member 9 from the first width member 8. Within the clamp, there is positioned the cam 15 in the groove 21 of the cam follower body 16; the cam follower body 16 is provided with a clamping surface 22 of the form of a rubber pad through which it can clamp against the side of the second width member 9 adjacent to the first width member. As such, the clamp 20 is similar to the calliper found in automotive 15 disc brakes.

When the cam 15 is positioned in the groove 21 so that the flat face 19 of the cam 15 is adjacent to the corresponding flat face 23 of the groove, the cam 15 and cam follower will be at a minimum depth (that is, the horizontal direction in Figures 4 20 and 5) as shown in Figures 4a and 4b of the accompanying drawings. The clamp 20 does not engage and a desired width of the pivoting part 3 can be selected by sliding the first and second width members 8, 9 relative to one another.

As the cam 15 is rotated in the groove, the circular part of the elongate body will 25 engage the flat surface 23 of the cam follower body 16, forcing the cam 15 and the cam follower body 16 apart and increasing the width occupied by the cam 15 and cam follower body 16.

Given that those bodies 15, 16 are within the clamp, they exert a reaction force 30 outwards, forcing the clamping surface against the adjacent side of the second width member 9 and, because the clamp 20 is being forced outwards by the cam 15, forcing the clamp to clamp against the far surface of the second width member. This clamping action, again akin to the functioning of an automotive disc brake, securely clamps the first width member 8 relative to the second width member 9.

35

10

The fixing mechanism 11 does not require much rotation of the cam 15 in order to clamp the parts together; typically, a quarter of a turn suffices. As such, a slot 24 is provided in the end of the cam 15 by means of which a user can turn the cam 15 with a screwdriver or small coin.

5

A safety gate according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 6 to 13 of the accompanying drawings. Features common to the first embodiment have been given the same reference numerals, raised by 50. This embodiment relates to a safety gate where the structural parts will be formed of wood, 10 although there is no reason why the teachings of this embodiment could not be applied in other materials, such as metal.

As with the first embodiment, the safety gate 51 comprises first and second fixed parts 52, 54 and a pivoting part 53. The pivoting part 53 is pivotally mounted on the first 15 fixed part 52 about a pivot axis 67 and can engage the second fixed part 54 via a locking mechanism 55. The first and second fixed parts 52, 54 would typically be fixed to walls either side of the opening through which access is to be blocked.

In order to allow for different sizes of opening the pivoting part 53 is again formed of 20 first and second parallel width members 58, 59, which can be fixed rigidly together at any point over a continuous range by means of a fixing mechanism 61. However, the function of the fixing mechanism of the present embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment.

25 In this embodiment, the fixing mechanism comprises an elongate T-shaped groove 62 (comprising an internal slot 63 in communication with an external slot 64, which is in communication with the exterior) in the second width member 9, and a captive part 65 which is free to slide along the groove 62. The captive part has a head portion 67 which is received in the internal slot 64, and a threaded member 68 which extends 30 from the head portion 67 through and out of the external slot 64. The threaded portion passes through a bore in the first width member and engages the threaded of threaded nut 66. The threaded nut 66 is held in a rebate 69 in the first width member 8, but can rotate therewithin.

11

As such, rotation of the threaded nut 66 will drive the threaded member 68 along its length. This can be used to bring the head portion 67 into contact with the internal surface of the internal slot 64. As the nut 66 is tightened, the head portion 67 will press against that internal surface, biasing the second width member 9 against the first 5 width member 8 so as to clamp them together. The first and second width members 8, 9 would then be fixed relative to one another.

The clamping force can be removed by loosening the nut so as to bring the head portion 67 out of contact with the internal surface. The first and second width 10 members 8, 9 can then be slid relative to one another (with the captive part 65 sliding along the groove 62) to a new desired position and the nut 66 tightened once more.

Figures 11 to 14 show the locking mechanism 55 in more detail. This locking mechanism is used with both embodiments, but is described herein with reference to 15 the second embodiment. The locking mechanism 55 comprises a spring-loaded bolt 70 mounted on the distal end of the second width member 59. The second fixed part 54 comprises a housing 71 in which there is a slot 72 in which the bolt 70 can be received.

20 To shut the safety gate, the pivoting part 53 is simply pivoted so that the bolt 70 is adjacent to the housing 71. As the pivoting part 53 is further pivoted, the bolt 70 reaches a ramp 73 in the housing 71. The ramp 73, which slopes towards the slot 72, presses the bolt 70 into the second width member against the biasing force of spring 75 until the bolt 70 reaches the slot 72. Once it does, the bolt will be forced by 25 spring 75 into the slot, and the pivoting member 53 will no longer be able to pivot. The safety gate 51 is now locked.

The second fixed part 54 is also provided with a spring loaded latch 76. Whilst the pivoting part 53 can displace along the pivot axis 67 (that is, vertically), in the locked 30 state shown in Figures 11a and lib of the accompanying drawings, a bottom surface 78 of the latch 76 will block any movement of the bolt 70 upwards, the top surface 79 of the bolt which engages the bottom surface 78 of the latch 76 being roughly parallel. Thus, a user (or a small child that is meant to be kept secure by the safety gate) cannot simply lift the gate.

35

12

In order to unlock the gate, the user simply presses on a part of the latch 76 that extends outside the housing 71. This causes the latch to pivot against the force of a spring 77. Thus, instead of presenting the bottom surface to the travel of the bolt 70, the latch 76 swings out of the way. The bolt is now presented with a part of the 5 housing 80 around the end of the slot that is at a shallower angle to the top surface 79 than the bottom surface 78. This is the situation shown in Figures 12a and 12b of the accompanying drawings.

If the user now lifts the pivoting part 53, the bolt will engage the front surface 79 and, 10 as the gate is lifted, the bolt will be compressed into the second width member 59, as it runs over the shallow housing part 79, compressing spring 75. The bolt can therefore leave the slot 72. Once the bolt 70 has left the slot 72, the pivoting member can once more be pivoted about the pivot axis 67 and the safety gate opened.

13

Claims

1. A safety gate comprising:

a first fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall;

5 a second fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall; and a pivoting part pivotally mounted on the first fixed part for rotation thereabout, the pivoting part having:

in which the pivoting part has a width between the first and second fixed parts and comprises first and second parallel width members, and a fixing mechanism arranged so as to hold the width members together at a position selected by a user 15 over a continuous range, wherein varying the position through the range varies the width;

in which the fixing mechanism comprises a groove formed in the first width member and a captive part mounted on the second width member but having a captive portion held captive in the groove having an internal surface, the second width 20 member comprising a mounting by means of which the captive part is mounted on the second width member, the mounting being arranged to selectively bias the captive portion against the internal surface.

2. The safety gate of claim 1, in which the groove comprises an internal slot 25 internal to the first width member extending along the width over the range and an external slot extending along the width over the range in communication over the range with the internal slot and the exterior of the first width member.

3. The safety gate of claim 2, in which the internal and external slots together 30 define a T-shaped slot.

4. The safety gate of any preceding claim, in which the captive portion is shaped so as to slide internally along the groove.

14

5. A safety gate comprising:

a first fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall;

a second fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall; and a pivoting part pivotally mounted on the first fixed part for rotation thereabout, 5 the pivoting part having:

an open position in which it is pivoted away from the second fixed part and allows passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part; and a closed position in which it engages the second fixed part and blocks passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part,

10 in which the pivoting part has a width between the first and second fixed parts and comprises first and second parallel width members, and a fixing mechanism arranged so as to hold the width members together at a position selected by a user over a continuous range, wherein varying the position through the range varies the width;

15 in which the first width member is provided with:

a clamp which straddles the second width member from a first side of the second width member adjacent to the first width member to a second side of the second width member opposite to the first side; and a biasing mechanism which selectively biases the second width member

20 against the clamp.

6. The safety gate of claim 5, in which the biasing means comprises a cam in a cam follower body, the cam being rotatable relative to the cam follower body to cause motion of the cam follower body relative to the second width member.

25

7. The safety gate of claim 6, in which, in an unlocked state of the biasing means the biasing means will have a first depth in a direction perpendicular to the width members and in a locked state of the biasing means the biasing means will have a second width that is greater than the first width, the cam being rotated relative to the

30 cam follower body in the locked state relative to the unlocked state.

8. The safety gate of claim 6 or claim 7, in which the cam comprises an elongate body having a cross section of a circle with a circular segment removed to define a flat edge.

35

15

9. The safety gate of claim 8, in which the cam follower body comprises a recess having a correspondingly-shaped recess in which the cam follower works.

10. The safety gate of any of claims 5 to 9, in which the biasing means is provided 5 with a clamping surface adjacent to the first side of the second width member.

11. A safety gate comprising:

a first fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall;

a second fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall; and 10 a pivoting part pivotally mounted on the first fixed part for rotation thereabout,

the pivoting part having:

an open position in which it is pivoted away from the second fixed part and allows passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part; and a closed position in which it engages the second fixed part and blocks passage 15 between the first fixed part and the second fixed part,

in which the pivoting part has a width between the first and second fixed parts and comprises first and second parallel width members and a fixing mechanism arranged so as to hold the width members together at a position selected by a user over a continuous range, wherein varying the position through the range varies the 20 width.

12. A safety gate comprising:

a first fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall;

a second fixed part arranged to be fixed to a wall; and 25 a pivoting part pivotally mounted on the first fixed part for rotation about a pivot axis,

the pivoting part having:

an open position in which it is pivoted away from the second fixed part and allows passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part; and 30 a closed position in which it engages the second fixed part and blocks passage between the first fixed part and the second fixed part,

in which the safety gate further comprises a locking mechanism which, in a locked state, prevents the pivoting part from moving from the closed position to the open position and which, in an unlocked state, allows the pivoting part to move from 35 the closed position to the open position;

16

in which the pivoting part can displace along the pivot axis;

in which the locking mechanism comprises:

5 a bolt biasing member arranged to bias the resiliently mounted bolt away from the first member;

10 a latch mounted on a second member being the other of the pivoting part and the second fixed part not being the first member; and a latch biasing member arranged to bias the latch away from the second member into the slot so as to block the passage of the bolt; and in which, in the locked state, the latch is biased into the slot, thereby blocking

15 passage of the bolt along the slot, and in the unlocked state, the latch is forced against the bias of the latch biasing member out of the slot, so that the bolt can travel along the slot and leave the slot as the pivoting part is displaced along the pivot axis, thus allowing the pivoting part to pivot.

20 13. The safety gate of claim 12, in which the first member is the pivoting part and the second member is the second fixed part.

14. The safety gate of claim 12 or claim 13, in which the latch comprises a user-engagable region that is engagable by the user in the locked state.

25

15. The safety gate of any of claims 12 to 14, in which the second member comprises a housing in which the slot is formed, the area of the housing adjacent to the slot in a direction tangential to the pivot axis may be bevelled, so as to provide a ramp for the bolt towards the slot as the pivoting part approaches the second fixed

30 part.

16. A safety gate substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, or Figures 6 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.

INTELLECTUAL

PROPERTY OFFICE

Application No: GB 1202289.3 Examiner: Mr Philip Lawrence

Claims searched: 1-4,11 Date of search: 1 June 2012

Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17

Documents considered to be relevant: