GB2505182A

GB2505182A - Telescopic safety rail

Info

Publication number: GB2505182A
Application number: GB1214847.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Douglas Westcott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-08-20
Filing date: 2012-08-20
Publication date: 2014-02-26
Also published as: GB201214847D0

Abstract

A safety rail comprises a telescopically extendable elongate bar 1 of multiple portions. The two end portions 2 are of near equal diameter, and preferably are dimensioned to be equivalent in diameter to a standard scaffold pole. Clamps 3 are provided at the ends for securing the bar to a structure.

Description

A SAFETY RAIL

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a safety rail more particularly but not exclusively to a safety rail for use on scaffolding.

Background

Safety when working at height or on any raised platform such as a stage is paramount. A number of industries have stringent health and safety requirements in order to allow users to work in such situations.

Most commonly hand rails must be provided to prevent users falling off edes and to otherwise act as grab rails to assist users working on raised platforms.

In some situations such as building sites the height of the rail must be constantly changed so as to reflect work undertaken on a building or structure. There may also *:*. be incidents where access to a different area is required and consequently a new hand rail is required to be erected. Problems can also be encountered when the length of the hand rail must be varied as different equipment may be required if the *.". rail length must be increased or decreased. Multiple hand rails are costly and problematic to erect, transport and store.

*:* 25 Safety standards also preferably stipulate need for visibility of safety elements and in ". particular such standards require attention to be drawn as best 5ossible to presence of safety equipment so as to ensure behaviour adapts to dangers.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following: Granted United Kingdom patent GB 2 427 433 (OWENS) discloses a guard rail system for scaffolding, comprising first frame members and protection barrier means, two pairs of claw hook means mounted rotatably to each said first frame member such that when one said first frame member is moved to a new position by operation from a location within the scaffolding, the hook means may so rotate as to disengage with a horizontal transom member of the scaffolding and readily engage with an adjacent transom member.

Granted United Kingdom patent GB 2 419 915 (CRAIGEN) discloses a scaffold safety structure which includes a temporary fence structure which comprises a guard rail a base rail, and at least two legs connecting the guard rail and base rail, and disengageable locking means being provided to prevent pivoting of at least one of said legs.

Granted French patent FR 2 863 291 (DOKA) discloses a safety railing for a balcony extension for a scaffold frame has a fixed main section and two adjustable side sections to adjust to the selected size of the balcony, e.g. with the balcony extendable. The adjustment is effected by a telescopic construction with the selected size secured by spring loaded pegs gripping into holes in the frame sections. The balcony is supported on at least two adjustable struts. One end of the balcony can be fitted with an extension to vary the length of the balcony.

S * * S

:20 Granted United Kingdom patent GB 2 403 980 (HARPER) discloses an adjustable * removeable gate for a scaffold system incorporates a tube sliding into and within the hand rail/guard rail of a scaffold sytem. The sliding bar is held in position by two restraining straps *with a levelling strap positioned between these two structures.

Each of these features has a locking means. In use, after releasing the locking means, the tube may be slid back forming a gap in the scaffold rail, allowing access *:*. for the supply of building materials, for example. The tube may then be pulled back out, restoring the integrity of the scaffold rail, and locked into position.

In contrast the present invention provides an easily transportable and utilisable visual safety barrier to demarcate danger zones.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a safety rail comprising: a telescopically extendable elongate bar comprised of multiple portions, with two distal end portions of near equal diameter, and at least two clamps for securing said bar to a structure; wherein the clamps are situated at the distal end portions.

In preferred embodiments at least one distal end supports an extendable warning notice.

In preferred embodiments the safety rail includes or provides extendible warning notices or flags on only one distal end portion, but in some embodiments this may be at each distal end portion of the bar. Said notices act to draw attention to existence of the safety rail ideally in a contiguous or orthogonal plane to the bar, to maximise effectiveness. Said notices may include hinge mountings on the safety aid or hinged extension from the mounting.

In preferred embodiments the bar is formed from a strong, durable, lightweight material such as aluminium so as to enable the bar to act as a safety barrier, and be lightweight enough to be carried with a user.

The safety rail is therefore ideally suited to be telescopically retracted and for : example attached to a user's belt, wherein the clamps may be stored elsewhere.

* 20 Ideally said clamps are standard scaffolding clamps, wherein the end portions are * equivalent to scaffold pole diameters. * .* *

Preferably the bar comprises a plurality of concentric cylindrical portions that can be extended telescopically. The portions may be extendable incrementally, wherein the portions may include intermediate stop points or smoothly to a stop point. ** . * . *

Ideally each cylindrical portion is sequentially sized in diameter so as to allow each portion to fit concentrically within preceding and following portions. Typically an innermost portion, of smallest diameter, has a distal end portion cap of a diameter equal to the largest portion, so as to create a member by which the bar may be extended. Said end cap additionally or aIternatveIy serves as a point of attachment for clamps.

In preferred embodiments the end portion cap is formed in aluminium or other rigid lightweight material that may be used to pull the telescopic portions apart with minimal risk of deformation.

Preferably the safety rail has two clamps, one attached to an outer face of the largest portion and the other attached to the end portion cap.

In some embodiments the clamps are welded on to the safety rail so as to form a strong durable connection however the clamps may alternatively be provided on detachable or displaceable mountings, wherein said mountings may be adjustable in size and/or diameter, so as to allow mounting of the clamp or clamps on different portions on or of the bar.

In order to prevent one portion being separated or separable from each following portion, each portion ideally includes a catch mechanism, projections or a stopper, and a collar which collar collaborates with or prevents further movement of, the stopper to form a locking system so as to prevent separation of the portions.

In some embodiments of the safety rail each of said portions includes a stopper as a cuff or plural projections on or around the outer face of the portion, thereby increasing diameter at one end of the portion.

In such embodiments the distal end of the portion contains the collar, said collar * being a band around the portion's inner surface, creating a reduced diameter that *:::* prevents the stopper of the linked portion from being removed in use. When extended telescopically the stopper and collar butt up to one another at extension of the portions. :25 * *

It may be envisaged that in such embodiments the portion centre may include a reinforced core so as to limit bending of the portions or bar when in use or when stowed.

In all preferred embodiments it is preferable that there are provided corresponding male and female parts so as to mate and limit movement of portions with respect to * one another. In some embodiments said parts may be activated or facilitated by secondary action, for example such as through screwing or rotation of the portions.

In this way the portions may be locked together into place, either when fully extended, intermediate or when retracted. This ensures safety both when the bar is in use and secondly when the bar is retracted and in storage or transport. For example the user may choose to where the safety aid about their waist, and/or on a belt, and require that the bar will not be liable to unauthorised extension.

In most preferred embodiments the bar is coloured and/or provided with fluorescent or luminescent coating, so as to draw attention and/or indicate that the user can use the bar for support when for example working at height on scaffolding.

Preferably the bar is coloured red and white as in standard barrier tape so as to indicate a safe area.

In further embodiments said notice may extend by electric or electronic means, for example to include a light source and battery.

Advantageously in preferred embodiments however the warning notices extend telescopically in a similar fashion to the bar for example up to a distance of up to 50cm out from the bar.

Typically therefore in such embodiments the notices are cylindrical and of a smaller 2O diameter than any portion of the bar being also preferably flexible and formed of a * resiliently deformable material such as rubber, silicon or foam. * ** * . .

It may be envisaged that in such embodiments the notice centre may include a reinforced core so as to limit bending of the notice when in use or when stowed.

*.*... *

The notices typically serve solely to warn users of approaching end of the bar, being unable to provide support to the user therefore ideally the notices are coloured differently to the bar so as to clearly distinguish between the bar and notice(s) wherein preferably the notices are such as solid red or other primary colour.

In some preferred embodiments the bar end portions and/or clamps may be provided with or coated with rubber or elastomer covers, so as to minimise injury to users who inadvertently knock or hit the safety aid when passing.

Brief Description of Figures

Figures 1 show isometric views of an embodiment of the safety rail retracted and extended; Figure 2 shows an end view of the embodiment of Figure 1; And Figure 3 shows a view from above of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of Figures

With reference to Figures 1 to 3, the pictured and preferred embodiment of the safety rail includes: a telescopically extendable elongate bar 1 comprised of multiple portions, with two distal end portions 2 of near equal diameter, and at two clamps 3 for securing said bar 1 to a structure; wherein the clamps 3 are situated at the distal end portions 2. An end portion 2 of the safety rail supports an extendable warning notice 4, In the preferred embodiment the safety bar extends to a length of up to 3m. ** 20

* The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing * from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.