GB2557606A

GB2557606A - Edge protection system

Info

Publication number: GB2557606A
Application number: GB1621021.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Douglas Hesketh Stephen
Original assignee: M G F Trench Construction Systems Ltd
Current assignee: M G F Trench Construction Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2016-12-09
Filing date: 2016-12-09
Publication date: 2018-06-27
Also published as: GB201621021D0

Abstract

An edge protection system 10 for protecting an edge of a trench or excavation T, the trench or excavation T having at least one sidewall W which is shored by a shoring arrangement with at least one shoring member, preferably a shoring post 4 or a shoring panel 2. The edge protection system 10 has one or more elongate support members 40 provided with anchoring means 60, preferably a socket (64S, Fig. 5) containing attachment member 60 at a foot end thereof by which it is preferably anchorable to a respective shoring post 4 or shoring panel 2 of the shoring arrangement. There are one or more barrier panels 20, preferably made of perforated or mesh material. The or each barrier panel 20 has at least one attachment means (30, Fig. 2), preferably a hole or gap in the panel's mesh structure, via which the barrier panel 20 is attachable to, the or a respective support member 40 in a side-by-side relationship thereto. The attachment is preferably by means of hanging the barrier panel 20 over the elongate support member 40.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Edge protection system Abstract Title: Edge Protection System (57) An edge protection system 10 for protecting an edge of a trench or excavation T, the trench or excavation T having at least one sidewall W which is shored by a shoring arrangement with at least one shoring member, preferably a shoring post 4 or a shoring panel 2. The edge protection system 10 has one or more elongate support members 40 provided with anchoring means 60, preferably a socket (64S, Fig. 5) containing attachment member 60 at a foot end thereof by which it is preferably anchorable to a respective shoring post 4 or shoring panel 2 of the shoring arrangement. There are one or more barrier panels 20, preferably made of perforated or mesh material. The or each barrier panel 20 has at least one attachment means (30, Fig. 2), preferably a hole or gap in the panel's mesh structure, via which the barrier panel 20 is attachable to, the or a respective support member 40 in a side-by-side relationship thereto. The attachment is preferably by means of hanging the barrier panel 20 over the elongate support member 40.

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EDGE PROTECTION SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an edge protection system. More particularly, though not exclusively, it relates to a system for protecting an edge of a trench or excavation, especially (though not exclusively) one whose side(s) is/are shored using a shoring arrangement, such as in the carrying out of groundworks or in civil engineering projects, to guard against people and objects falling into the trench or excavation or damaging the edge thereof.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

In a wide variety of groundworks, building and civil engineering projects it is often required to dig or excavate a trench, hole or other excavation, such as for the building of structures, foundations for structures or the laying of services, e.g. water, gas or sewerage pipes. One or more internal walls of such trenches or excavations are generally shored using some kind of shoring arrangement, usually involving the use of one or more shoring panels braced against the one or more trench or excavation sidewalls using one or more shoring posts and one or more bracing struts or props.

It is a general requirement in the carrying out of such works that the edge of the trench or excavation is protected, primarily against people or objects, e.g. building equipment or extraneous objects, falling therein, especially as workers and equipment move around the works site or when the site is left unattended, e.g. at night or during non-work periods. For this purpose an edge protection system is usually required to be installed at the trench or excavation edge, to guard against people or objects falling, often inadvertently, therein. Such an edge protection system may often even be a legal requirement for health and safety reasons, especially since such trenches/excavations can often be deep and thus a particular safety hazard for on-site workers. Such an edge protection system can also usefully serve to protect the edge of the trench or excavation from damage.

A conventional edge protection system currently in widespread use comprises one or more safety barriers or panels, especially of a lightweight construction, e.g. predominantly of a perforated or mesh material, which is/are placed at the trench or excavation edge as or when required, and often overlapping one another to suit any required overall length of edge protection arrangement. The or each barrier or panel is mountable adjacent the trench/excavation edge by virtue of being anchorable onto a top edge of a shoring panel positioned against the trench/excavation internal sidewall. Such anchoring is generally by means of e.g. two or more anchoring feet extending from the barrier or panel’s bottom edge and engageable onto the shoring panel’s upper edge by being placeable thereover and securely clipped and/or clamped into place thereon, usually using clamping bolts or screws.

Such known edge protection barriers or panels do however have shortcomings and their practical efficacy and applicability are often limited. For instance, the anchoring feet generally rely on the use of shoring panels extending over a relatively long longitudinal length of the trench or excavation in order to provide the required anchoring sites thereon. Such barriers/panels are therefore generally unusable with shoring panels having only short or limited longitudinal lengths. Furthermore, the clip-like anchoring feet themselves are also generally usable to provide secure anchoring only with shoring panels whose edge portions match the feet in shape and configuration or are designed specifically for use therewith. Thus, a given design or make of barrier/panel with a particular foot configuration may only be usable with one or a particularly narrow range of specific designs or makes of shoring panel, thus leading to increased likelihood of on-site incompatibility of shoring and edge protection equipment and components.

Another problem is that the anchoring feet generally rely on bolted clamp-like fixings both to the shoring panel edge portion itself (which makes the task of anchoring the barrier/panel to the shoring panel edge portion a fiddly and laborious task in itself), but also to the lower edge region of the barrier/panel itself. Whilst the latter fixings of the feet to the barrier/panel itself may in some instances allow for the length spacing between adjacent anchoring feet to be adjustable to suit different longitudinal lengths of shoring panels and thus trenches/excavations themselves, they are nevertheless difficult, fiddly and time consuming to disassemble, move and reassemble at a different anchoring site on a given barrier/panel, thereby making the job of tailoring on-site a particular edge protection barrier/panel for use with a specific shoring system a potentially time-consuming and inefficient procedure.

A primary object of the present invention is therefore to address and ameliorate the above shortcomings of known edge protection barriers/panels and the manner in which they are deployed for use, and to provide an edge protection system which is simpler and quicker to install, uses fewer components, and is more versatile for use with a wider variety of designs of shoring arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an edge protection system for protecting an edge of a trench or excavation, the trench or excavation having at least one sidewall which is shored by means of a shoring arrangement comprising at least one shoring member, wherein the edge protection system comprises:

one or more elongate support members, the or each support member being provided with anchoring means at a foot end thereof by which it is anchorable to a or a respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement; and one or more barrier panels, the or each barrier panel comprising at least one attachment means via which the barrier panel is attachable to the or a respective support member in a side-by-side relationship thereto.

In practical embodiments of the invention the shoring arrangement may comprise one or more shoring posts and/or one or more shoring panels, the one or more shoring panels being supported by the one or more shoring posts in a shoring configuration. Thus, in such embodiments the or the respective shoring member to which is anchored, via the or a respective anchoring means, the or a respective support member may be a or a respective shoring post and/or a or a respective shoring panel.

In many embodiments of the invention the or each support member may comprise an elongate pole or post, especially a pole or post of any suitable cross-sectional outer shape, e.g. circular (so that the support member may take the form of an elongate cylindrical body). The or each support member may be hollow (e.g. tubular) or solid, and may be made of any suitable preferably lightweight material, e.g. lightweight metal or metal alloy, or a suitably strong plastics material.

For use in embodiments of the system of the invention any desired or suitable number of support members may be provided, for example depending on the spacing or longitudinal extent of the respective shoring member(s) of the shoring arrangement, such as the spacing of plural shoring posts of the shoring arrangement or the longitudinal spacing of anchoring sites on one or more shoring panels, or the longitudinal length of any one given barrier panel, or the overall longitudinal length of the trench or excavation sidewall whose edge is to protected by the system, or any combination of any of the aforesaid. For instance, in some typical practical embodiments two or more support members may be provided for use with a single given barrier panel, although other numbers of support members per a given barrier panel may be used instead, as any given practical example of the system and the trench/excavation whose edge is to be protected by it may dictate.

In some embodiments of the invention the or the respective anchoring means at the foot end of the or the respective support member and by which it is anchorable to a or a respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement may comprise a discrete anchoring member provided initially separate from the support member(s) and anchorable onto the or the respective shoring member in a discrete step of the system’s assembly or installation.

In some such embodiments the or the respective anchoring member may comprise an attachment portion by which it is attachable to the or the respective shoring member, and a support member-receiving portion for receiving therein or thereon the foot end of the or the respective support member for anchoring same to the anchoring member.

In some such embodiments the attachment portion may comprise a slot or recess, e.g. defined by a flange portion extending from the body of the anchoring member, into which is fittable or seatable an upper end or end portion or extension of the or the respective shoring member, such as an upper end or end portion or extension of a or a respective shoring post or an upper edge or edge portion or edge extension of a or a respective shoring panel. In some example embodiments the attachment portion may be unitable with the or the respective shoring member and retainable thereon by virtue of a simple friction fit. However, in other example embodiments the attachment portion may comprise one or more clip or detent elements arranged, optionally in combination with one or more corresponding interengageable clip or detent elements on an upper end portion or extension of the or the respective shoring member, to securely retain the anchoring member on the or the respective shoring member once mounted thereon.

In some such embodiments the support member-receiving portion may comprise a socket portion comprising a socket for receiving therein the foot end portion of the or the respective support member. The socket may be appropriately internally dimensioned and shaped to accommodate and securely retain therein the foot end portion of the or the respective support member. If desired or as necessary, that retention in the socket of the foot end portion of the or the respective support member may be by virtue of a simple friction fit, or it may be facilitated by provision of one or more engagement or detent elements, or one or more interengageable engagement or detent elements, on (respectively) one of or both of the socket portion of the anchoring member and the foot portion of the or the respective support member.

In an alternative embodiment form, however, the support member-receiving portion of the or the respective anchoring member may comprise a pin, spike or rod portion for receiving thereon a channel, recess or hollow portion of the foot portion of the or the respective support member.

In other embodiments of the invention, instead of the or the respective anchoring member (constituting the or the respective anchoring means) being provided as a discrete component initially separate from but unitable with the or the respective support member, the or the respective anchoring member or other anchoring means may alternatively be provided as a pre-attached or even integrally formed part or portion of the or the respective support member.

In many embodiments of the invention the one or more barrier panels may each comprise one or more attachment means via which, or respective ones of which, a or a respective support member is attachable to the or the respective barrier panel in a side-by-side relationship thereto. Thus, it is a particular feature of many embodiments of the invention that once the or the respective barrier panel and the or the respective one or more support members have been mutually attached or united, then they lie in a generally side-by-side spatial relationship. In other words, once they have been mutually attached or united, at least a majority portion of the length of the or each respective support member lies generally facing and/or adjacent a major face of the or the respective barrier panel.

In some embodiments of the system the or each respective attachment means may comprise a or a respective aperture or loop portion formed in or provided on the or the respective barrier panel. In many embodiment forms the or each respective aperture or loop portion may be provided in or on an upper region of, especially an upper peripheral or edge region or portion of, the or the respective barrier panel. Thus, in many such embodiments the or each respective attachment means may be provided at a location in or on the or the respective barrier panel such that, in the assembled or installed system, the site of attachment of the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member is spaced from, or remote from, the site of anchoring of the or the respective support member to the or the respective anchoring means and thus to the or the respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement.

Thus, in accordance with an alternative aspect of the system of the invention there may be provided an edge protection system for protecting an edge of a trench or excavation, the trench or excavation having at least one sidewall which is shored by means of a shoring arrangement comprising at least one shoring member, wherein the edge protection system comprises:

one or more elongate support members, the or each support member being provided with anchoring means at a foot end thereof by which it is anchorable to a or a respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement; and one or more barrier panels, the or each barrier panel comprising at least one attachment means via which the barrier panel is attachable to the or a respective support member;

wherein the or the respective attachment means is provided at a location in or on the or the respective barrier panel such that, in the assembled or installed system, the site of attachment of the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member is spaced from, or remote from, the site of anchoring of the or the respective support member to the or the respective anchoring means and thus to the or the respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement.

In some such embodiments of the preceding alternative aspect, the said spacing or remote distance of the site of attachment of the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member from the site of anchoring of the or the respective support member to the or the respective anchoring means (and thus to the or the respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement) may be at least a major proportion of the height of, especially at least about 50% of, or at least about 60 or 70 or even about 80% of, the height of, the or the respective barrier panel. Thus, in accordance with this alternatively expressed aspect of the invention, the site of primary attachment of the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member may be located significantly further up the or the respective support member at a location which is spaced or remote from its foot end where it is anchored to the or the respective anchoring means by means of which it is anchored to the or the respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement.

In many embodiments of the system of the invention the or each barrier panel may comprise at least one aperture constituting said attachment means. In some embodiment forms the or each barrier panel may comprise a plurality of, especially an array or series of, apertures, in or through any selected one of which a or a respective support member may be placed or inserted so as to be attached to the or the respective barrier panel.

In particularly useful such embodiments the or each barrier panel may be formed of a perforated or mesh material, e.g. composed of a network of interconnected strands, wires or strips of a metal or metal alloy or a suitably strong plastics material. The material thereof and/or the arrangement of the strands, wires or strips defining apertures, holes or gaps within the mesh may, whilst advantageously being especially lightweight, afford sufficient strength and rigidity to the barrier panel to enable it to hold its shape and be sufficiently strong and able to withstand being deformed, whereby a desired or sufficient degree of strength and rigidity of the barrier panel may be attained to provide a desired degree of barrier protection affordable by the or the respective barrier panel once the system has been assembled and/or installed.

A further useful advantage to be had from employing such a perforated or mesh material to form the or the respective barrier panel is that because the width and/or height dimensions of any given aperture, hole or gap is relatively large in comparison with the width or thickness dimensions of the strands, wires or strips themselves which bound and define it, this maximises or optimises the opportunity for a given two or more support members to be each inserted into or through respective ones of any given two or more apertures, holes or gaps spaced apart from one another across the barrier panel without having to specially select the spacing or relative spatial positioning of those respective support members to match a given spacing or relative spatial positioning of those respective apertures, holes or gaps in the barrier panel. In other words, since in many practical scenarios the spacing or relative spatial positioning of any two or more support members may be dictated primarily by the relative positions of the respective shoring members, e.g. shoring posts, of the shoring arrangement to which they are anchored, by employing a perforated or mesh-type barrier panel construction the chance that the spacing or relative spatial positioning of any respective two or more apertures, holes or gaps will already inherently match that spacing or relative spatial positioning of the respective support members, and thus enable them to be inserted thereinto or therethrough without further ado, may be maximised, and thus any need for adjustment of the relative anchoring positions of the respective support members to match the spacing or relative spatial positioning of the apertures, holes or gaps may be minimised.

wherein the or the respective attachment means comprises a or a respective aperture, hole or gap extending through the barrier panel and through which the or the respective support member is insertable so as to attach the barrier panel thereto.

As discussed above, in some embodiments of such an alternative system aspect the or each barrier panel may be formed of a perforated or mesh material, so as to define within its structure a plurality of said apertures, hole or gaps for insertion, through respective ones of any given two or more of which apertures, hole or gaps are insertable respective ones of any given two or more said support members.

In some embodiments the or each barrier panel may be of a generally planar configuration, optionally with one or more regions or portions whose shape or configuration protrudes at least partially out of the general plane of the panel to provide one or more respective useful additional features. One such out-of-the-plane region or portion of the or each barrier panel may be an upper peripheral or edge region or portion thereof, which is angled out of the general plane of the barrier panel e.g. at an angle in the range of from about 20 or 30 degrees up to about 50 or 60 or 70 or even up to about 80 or 90 degrees relative to the general plane of the barrier panel, and which provides an upper peripheral or edge region or portion of the barrier panel via the apertures or mesh holes in which (in preferred embodiments) the barrier panel has attached thereto the or the respective elongate support member(s).

Another such out-of-the-plane region or portion of the or each barrier panel may be a midregion or mid-portion thereof, especially a region or portion located intermediate the upper and lower peripheral or edge regions/portions thereof, which forms or includes a “kink” or peaked (or valleyed) or pleated portion, e.g. having sides angled out of the general plane of the panel at an angle in the range of from about 10 or 20 or 30 degrees up to about 50 or 60 or 70 or 80 degrees relative to the general plane of the barrier panel, so as to form a bearing or abutment portion of the barrier panel against which a side wall of the or a respective support member bears, abuts, or rests when it has been attached to the barrier panel. This bearing, abutment or resting action may serve to improve the stable holding under the force of gravity of the barrier panel against the or the respective support member when the system has been assembled and/or installed. The presence of the kinked portion itself may also serve to add stiffness to the barrier panel’s overall structure, thereby increasing its inherent strength and rigidity.

In example forms of the aforementioned embodiments the said “kinked” region or portion located intermediate the upper and lower peripheral or edge regions/portions of the barrier panel may for instance be in the vicinity of or approximately half-way up or along the height of the barrier panel, or it may even be anywhere within a height region thereof defined by boundary lines lying at about 10 and about 90, or about 20 and about 80, or about 30 and about 70, or about 40 and about 60, % of the total height of the barrier panel.

In some embodiments of the system of the invention, if desired or necessary a lower or foot peripheral or edge region of the or each barrier panel may be provided with a supporting sheet or plate, e.g. extending over at least part of the length of, or even over substantially the whole longitudinal length thereof, to provide extra supporting rigidity and/or strength to that part or portion of the barrier panel. This is especially since it is that part or portion of the barrier panel which, in use, may contact or abut the ground immediately adjacent the trench or excavation edge that is to be protected and/or even the upper edge region(s) of one or more of the shoring member(s), e.g. shoring post(s) and/or shoring panel(s), that form parts of the shoring arrangement which shores the trench or excavation sidewall.

In assembling or installing embodiments of the edge protection system of the invention one or more shoring members of a shoring arrangement or system are used as the respective anchoring site(s) for the one or more support members. Such shoring members(s) may be or comprise one or more shoring posts, or one or more shoring panels, or even a combination of both of at least one post and at least one panel. Such one or more shoring posts, shoring panels or other shoring members, as well as any other components of the shoring arrangement or system, may be of any suitable design or construction. In preferred forms, however, the or each shoring post or shoring panel of the shoring arrangement or system may comprise at or adjacent or in the region of its upper end (in the case of a post) or edge (in the case of a panel) at least one anchoring site, e.g. an anchoring wall or portion, flange, plate, tongue, recess, socket, extension, protrusion, spigot or other anchoring element or portion by which a foot end portion of a or a respective support member may be anchored thereto. In particular, in some practical embodiments the shoring arrangement or system may comprise one or more shoring posts for supporting one or more shoring panels by means of which at least one sidewall of the trench or excavation whose edge is to be protected is shored and supported against collapse. Moreover, in a typical trench or excavation at least one pair of opposed sidewalls on opposite sides of the trench or excavation may be simultaneously shored by respective shoring panels supported by respective sets of one or more posts on each opposed side of the trench or excavation, with the two opposed sets of supported panels being braced apart into shoring relationship with the respective sidewalls of the trench or excavation by one or more struts or props, e.g. of mechanical or hydraulic type. In such shoring arrangements an upper or top portion, section or region of a shoring post or even an upper edge portion or region of a shoring panel, or even a combination thereof, may therefore provide the required anchoring site(s) for the anchoring thereto of a or a respective support member of the edge protection system.

Many practical examples and designs of shoring arrangement or system and their various components, with which embodiments of the edge protection system of this invention may be used, are already widely available in the art.

In practising many embodiments of the edge protection system of the invention it may be another useful advantage that because of the particular sites of anchoring of the various support members - namely the shoring member(s), e.g. shoring post(s) or shoring panel(s), of the shoring arrangement - coupled with, in some embodiments, some preferred constructional forms of the various anchoring members, especially those which allow for a simple friction fit without the use of dedicated clamping bolts or screws, such embodiments of edge protection system within the scope of the invention may be very versatile and nonspecific in being able to be readily usable with a wide variety of different proprietary designs and makes of shoring equipment (and components thereof) that are in common use in the shoring and building and civil engineering industries.

In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit of parts for forming an edge protection system according to any of the first aspects of the invention or any embodiment of any thereof.

Thus, in one such embodiment of such a second aspect of the invention there is provided a kit of parts for forming an edge protection system for protecting an edge of a trench or excavation, the trench or excavation having at least one sidewall which is shored by means of a shoring arrangement comprising at least one shoring member, wherein the kit comprises:

one or more elongate support members;

one or more respective anchoring means at, or for anchoring to, a or a respective foot end of the or a respective support member, by which anchoring means the or the respective support member is anchorable to a or a respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement; and one or more barrier panels, the or each barrier panel comprising at least one attachment means via which the barrier panel is attachable to the or a respective support member in a side-by-side relationship thereto.

In various embodiments of the above-defined kit any suitable numbers of the support members, anchoring means and barrier panels may be provided, for example depending on the overall dimensions of the trench or excavation whose edge is to be protected. Generally it may be typical in many embodiments to provide at least two support members and associated anchoring means per a given barrier panel, so that the or each barrier panel may be attached to each one of the pair of support members adjacent or in the vicinity of a respective longitudinal end of the or the respective barrier panel. However, in some practical embodiments where more than one barrier panel is provided, it may usefully be the case that a given one support member may have attached thereto both of a pair of adjacent barrier panels which partially overlap one another in adjacent end regions thereof. This overlapping attached type of arrangement may usefully serve to avoid gaps between adjacent barrier panels in a finally assembled and installed system, thereby optimising its edge-protection efficacy for a given number of support members and associated anchoring means (and thus associated shoring posts, shoring panels or other shoring members, as or providing their respective anchoring sites).

Of course, in practical examples of the above-defined kit of parts, and in practical examples of any finally assembled and installed system of the invention, a variety of numbers, permutations and spatial combinations of individual components of the edge protection system, especially of barrier panels(s) and support member(s) with associated anchoring means, may be employed, e.g. depending on the overall dimensions and/or configuration of the trench or excavation whose edge is to be protected.

Embodiments of the above-defined kit, as well as preferred or optional features of each of the above-defined support member(s), anchoring member(s) or other anchoring means, and barrier panels(s) may be as any of those already defined above in the context of the first aspects of the invention.

In a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of protecting an edge of a trench or excavation having at least one sidewall which is shored by means of a shoring arrangement comprising at least one shoring member, the method comprising:

providing the components of an edge protection system according to any of the first aspects of the invention or any embodiment of any thereof;

anchoring to a or a respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement, using the or a respective said anchoring means, a or a respective foot end of the or a respective support member;

attaching to the or the respective support member, using the said at least one attachment means, the or a respective said barrier panel.

In many practical embodiments of the above-defined method the step of attaching the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member may usefully be carried out by a simple operation of hanging the or the respective barrier panel over the or the respective support member. Thus, in some preferred such embodiments using preferred forms of barrier panels(s) and attachment means, where the attachment means comprise one or more apertures, holes or gaps formed through the barrier panel(s), e.g. such that it/they is/are perforated or of a mesh-like construction, the step of attaching the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member may be carried out by simply hanging the or the respective barrier panel over the or the respective support member such that the or the respective support member is inserted through a respective aperture, hole or gap in the or the respective barrier panel.

Once united in that condition, the or the respective barrier panel may thus assume a generally side-by-side relationship with the or the respective support member - and often a substantially vertical configuration, particularly where the or the respective shoring post, shoring panel or other shoring member to which the or the respective support member is anchored is itself in a substantially vertical configuration. In that united condition, in many practically implemented embodiments the foot portion of the or the respective barrier panel may thus abut, contact or simply rest on the ground immediately adjacent the trench or excavation edge, or indeed it may abut, contact or simply rest against an upper end portion of a or a respective shoring post of the shoring arrangement (whether or not a shoring post to which the barrier panel is actually anchored), and/or an upper lateral edge portion of a or a respective shoring panel ofthe shoring arrangement, e.g. spanning a distance between at least two such shoring posts.

Embodiments of the above-defined method, as well as preferred or optional features of each of the support member(s), anchoring member(s) or other anchoring means, and barrier panels(s) of the edge protection system, may be as any of those already defined above in the context of the first aspects of the invention.

Within the scope of this application it is envisaged that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives, and in particular the individual features thereof, set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, may be taken independently or in any combination. For example, features described in connection with one particular embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless expressly stated otherwise or such features are incompatible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an upper perspective view of one embodiment of an edge protection system according to the invention, showing the system assembled and installed and in position protecting an edge of an example of a groundworks trench or excavation;

FIGURE 2 is an end perspective view of the assembled system of FIG. 1, showing more clearly the manner in which the components of the system are assembled and installed;

FIGURE 3 is a close-up end-on view of part of the assembled system of FIG. 1, from the opposite end from the view of FIG. 2, again showing more clearly the manner of attachment of the barrier panels to the upright support members and how the panels are supported thereby;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of an example form of barrier panel as used in the embodiment system of FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of an example form of support member as used in the embodiment system of FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an example form of anchoring member as used in the embodiment system of FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIGURES 7(a), (b) and (c) are perspective views demonstrating the manner in which the embodiment system of FIGS. 1 to 3 is assembled and installed: FIG. 7(a) shows the initial anchoring placement of each support member on its associated shoring post, FIG. 7(b) shows a barrier panel about to be hung over the various anchored support members, and FIG. 7(c) shows the barrier panel in its nearly-final position hung over the various anchored support members with the latter inserted through the various holes or gaps in the mesh panel, and in the process of being slidably lowered into its final position with its foot resting on the ground adjacent the trench or excavation edge; and

FIGURE 8 is a top plan, part-sectional view of an alternative form of anchoring arrangement according to an alternative embodiment of the system of the invention, in which an anchoring member, instead of being anchored to a shoring post, is instead anchored to a shoring panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7 collectively (wherein it is to be noted that in all the FIGURES the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components and features thereof), the edge protection system 10 of this example embodiment is used to protect an edge of a groundworks trench or excavation T, in order to guard against people, e.g. site workers, or objects, e.g. site equipment or extraneous objects, falling into the trench or excavation T, both during work time on the site and also outside working hours, e.g. when the site may be unattended. The trench or excavation T has at least one internal sidewall W which is shored by a shoring arrangement or system comprising one or more sidewall-contacting shoring panels 2, each being supported by a pair of shoring posts 4 braced apart by an arrangement of mechanical or hydraulic struts 6. The precise arrangement of the components of the shoring arrangement or system may vary and may be in accordance with any known practical examples of shoring arrangements and systems used in the art to shore the sidewalls of trenches or excavations in a wide variety of groundworks operations.

The edge protection system 10 comprises generally a series of upright support poles or posts 40, each anchored in a respective one of a corresponding number of anchoring members 60 each attached to a respective shoring post 4 of the shoring arrangement, with one or more and in this embodiment a series of two or more overlapping - mesh barrier panels 20 attached to the support poles or posts 40 by virtue of being simply hung thereover with their feet portions 22F resting on ground adjacent the edge of the trench or excavation T whose edge is to be protected. The fully assembled and installed system 10 is shown in FIG. 1 and in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show, respectively, individual ones of the barrier panels 20, support poles/posts 40 and anchoring members 60.

As shown in FIG. 4, each barrier panel 20 is formed with a generally planar, substantially rigid, lightweight structure formed from a mesh material, e.g. from an interconnect network (e.g. by unitary formation or inter-welding) of wires, strands or strips of metal, metal alloy or a suitably strong and rigid plastics material. The gaps or holes 30 within the mesh have a uniform, generally rectangular shape, and those holes in an upper portion 28 of the panel 20 provide a multitude of possible attachment locations through which various ones of the support poles/posts 40 may be inserted for the purpose of uniting therewith a given barrier panel 20 in the assembly of the system 10.

The upper portion 28 of the barrier panel 20 is formed as an angled portion thereof, e.g. bent out of the general plane of the panel at an angle in the approximate range of around 30 to 80 degrees to that general plane. The holes 30 in this bent upper portion 28 provide the multitude of possible attachment locations through which various ones of the support poles/posts 40 may be inserted for attaching the panel 20 to them.

Approximately midway up the panel 20, i.e. bounded in an approximately central portion thereof by upper 24 and lower 22 portions of the panel 20, is a kinked or ribbed portion 26 thereof, e.g. with angled sides each around 40 to 60 or 70 degrees to the general panel plane, the apex of which kinked portion 26 provides a seating portion which, once the panel 20 has been mounted on the respective support poles/posts 40, abuts or bears against the sides of the respective poles/posts 40 at contact sites 26C in order to assist (in combination with the gravitational weight of the panel 20) in holding the panel 20 stably against the pole/post sides. The kinked portion 26 also gives the overall barrier panel 20 enhanced stiffness, making it less prone to bending and thus increasing its overall strength and rigidity and thus its potential edge-protection efficacy.

The foot portion 22F of the panel 20 is provided with a covering sheet or strip or plate of strengthening and protective material, e.g. of the same material as the mesh panel is itself formed, to provide added strength and protection to this foot portion 22F of the panel 20, which is that part of the panel 20 which, when the system 10 is assembled and installed, typically abuts the ground adjacent the edge of the trench or excavation T, or may even abut or rest against an upper edge of at least the various shoring posts 4, and/or even against an upper edge of one or more of the shoring panels 2 themselves.

As shown in FIG. 5, each support pole or post 40 is in the form of an elongate generally cylindrical, solid or hollow tubular body, e.g. of suitably strong and substantially rigid metal, metal alloy, or plastics material. Its diameter is appropriately selected to optimise its strength and rigidity whilst enabling it to be readily insertable through the mesh holes or gaps 30 in the upper angled portion 28 of the or each barrier panel 20.

As shown in FIG. 6, each anchoring member 60 comprises a main body, e.g. of unitarily moulded plastics material, e.g. GRP. It comprises a main body portion 64 formed with an internal socket 64S into which can be inserted the lower foot end portion of a respective support pole/post 40. The socket 64S may be generally square in internal shape, in order to facilitate insertion thereinto and accommodation therein of a respective circular-sectioned support pole/post 40. If desired, the socket 64S may usefully have a degree of internal narrowing passing down inside it to its lower portion 62, i.e. it may be slightly conical, in order to assist in forming a stable friction fit of the respective support pole/post 40 once it has been inserted fully therein. The main body portion 64 is supported and bounded by a platform portion 61 which carries to one lateral side thereof a downwardly extending flange portion

63F which defines between it and the lower socket portion 62 a gap, slot or recess 66G, which is dimensioned and configured for fitting securely over, e.g. with a friction fit, an upwardly extending upper end flange or plate or wall portion of a respective shoring post 4 onto which the anchoring member 60 is to be anchored.

FIGURES 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c) show sequential stages in the assembly and installation of the edge protection system 10 shown fully assembled and installed in FIGS. 1 to 3. As shown in FIG. 7(a), each support pole/post 40 is initially anchored in position atop a respective one of the shoring posts 4 of the already-installed shoring arrangement/system by first inserting and anchoring, by friction-fitting, each respective support pole/post 40 into a respective socket 64S of a respective anchoring member 60. Then each united support pole/post 40 with anchoring member 40 attached thereto is anchored to a respective shoring post 4 of the already-installed shoring arrangement/system, by placing the respective anchoring member 60 over the upper end of the respective shoring post 4, and friction-fitted into engagement therewith, by virtue of the upper end of the shoring post 4 being inserted into and gripped within the gap, slot or recess 66G. Of course, in a variant alternative sequence to the aforementioned steps, each respective anchoring member 60 may initially be anchored to a respective shoring post 4 first of all, and only then is a respective support pole/post 40 attached to the already anchored respective attachment member 60.

Next, as shown being about to be done in FIG. 7(b), and nearly completed in FIG. 7(c), the one or more lightweight mesh barrier panels 20 are then hung over the anchored support poles/posts 40, by placing each panel 20 such that respective ones of its mesh holes or gaps 30 in its upper portion 28 are in alignment with the respective support poles/posts 40 and can then be simply inserted therethrough by placing the respective barrier panel 20 thereover and lowering it downwards under its own weight, so as to be slid over and downward along the various support poles/posts 40. Owing to the mesh structure of each barrier panel 20 it is virtually certain that the relative spacing of any two or more holes or gaps 30 will substantially match the relative spacing of any two or more of the anchored support poles/posts 40 - or perhaps only a minimal adjustment of the angular anchored position of one or more of the support poles/posts 40 may be required in order to optimise that mutual relative alignment - thereby making it a quick and easy operation to hang the or each barrier panel over the respective anchored support poles/posts 40.

In its final assembled and installed positon, each barrier panel 20 can therefore simply rest with its strengthened foot portion 22F abutting or bearing against the ground adjacent the trench or excavation edge, and/or even resting against the support poles/post 40 themselves, and/or even abutting upper edge regions of one or more of the shoring panels 2 within the trench or excavation T and extending into the vicinity of its edge. Also in its final assembled and installed position, the apex of the central kinked portion 26 of each barrier panel 20 provides a bearing point that abuts and bears against side faces/walls of the respective support poles/posts 40, such as at contact points 26C. This bearing abutment of the kinked central portion 26 of each barrier panel 20 under its own weight serves to help keep the panel 20 tight up against the respective support poles/posts 40 in their edge protection relationship therewith.

As shown byway of example in the embodiment ofthe various FIGURES, a plurality of barrier panels 20 may be provided if the longitudinal length of the trench or excavation T demands it, e.g. depending on the longitudinal length of a given barrier panel 20. Furthermore, if desired or appropriate, plural barrier panels 20 may be employed in end-to-end overlapping relationship, including usefully using certain ones of the support poles/posts 40 in common so as to each anchor neighbouring barrier panels simultaneously. This overlapping arrangement of anchored barrier panels 20 therefore helps to avoid gaps occurring in the fully assembled and installed series or array of panels 20, which otherwise might compromise the edge protection efficacy of the system 10.

As a result of the various support poles/posts 40 using the various shoring posts 4 of the shoring arrangement or system as their respective anchoring sites, coupled with the particularly simple form and construction of the various anchoring members 60, such example forms of edge protection system according to the illustrated embodiment may be an especially useful advance in the art, because not only do they do away with the need for dedicated clamping bolts or screws to anchor the anchoring members to their respective anchoring sites on the shoring arrangement, but they are also very versatile and non-specific in being able to be readily usable with a wide variety of different proprietary designs and makes of shoring arrangement (and components thereof) that are in common use in the shoring and building and civil engineering industries.

In the embodiment edge protection system discussed and described above in relation to FIGS. 1 to 7, it will be noted that the various anchoring members 60 are designed such that they are anchored to the tops of respective shoring posts 4 of the shoring arrangement or system. However, in certain other, alternative, embodiments still within the scope of the invention, one or more of the various anchoring members 60 may instead be designed and configured so that they instead are anchorable directly or indirectly onto an upper edge portion of a shoring panel 2 of the shoring arrangement or system. This may especially be in the case of shoring panel(s) 2 which are oriented with their troughs or channels running in a generally substantially vertical direction. An example of such an alternative anchoring arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 8. In that FIG. 8, corresponding features of the alternative anchoring member 160 to those of the anchoring member 60 of FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals but incremented by 100. Additionally, however, in such alternative arrangements where the or each anchoring member 160 is/are designed to fit onto an upper edge portion of a shoring panel 2, if desired or necessary the anchoring member 160 may be provided with one or more additional engagement elements or portions, such as an anchoring or engagement tongue 163T and/or a pair of lateral anchoring/engagement ears 163E, which are configured so as to engage with appropriate portions of the upper edge region of the shoring panel 2 in order to assist the stable anchoring and engagement of the anchoring member 160 on and with the upper edge portion of the shoring panel 2.

In yet other embodiment edge protection systems within the scope of the invention, it is further to be understood that in any given system or arrangement, combinations of two or more anchoring members 60, 160 of different types may be employed, with at least one or more thereof being anchored onto a or a respective shoring post 4 and at least one or more being anchored onto a or a respective shoring panel 2, thereby giving rise to anchoring sites for respective support poles/posts 40 on combinations of shoring post(s) 4 and shoring panel(s) 2.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and linguistic variations of those words, for example “comprising” and “comprises”, mean “including but not limited to”, and are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, elements, integers or steps.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless expressly stated otherwise or the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless expressly stated otherwise or the context requires otherwise.

Features, components, elements, integers, characteristics, properties, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith or expressly stated otherwise.

Claims

1. An edge protection system for protecting an edge of a trench or excavation, the trench or excavation having at least one sidewall which is shored by means of a shoring arrangement comprising at least one shoring member, wherein the edge protection system comprises:

2. An edge protection system according to claim 1, wherein the or each support member comprises an elongate pole or post of a solid or hollow tubular construction.

3. An edge protection system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein two or more support members are provided for use with each of any one of the said one or more barrier panels.

4. An edge protection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the or the respective anchoring means at the foot end of the or the respective support member and by which it is anchorable to a or a respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement comprises a discrete anchoring member provided initially separate from the support member/s) and anchorable onto the or the respective shoring member in a discrete step of the system’s assembly or installation.

5. An edge protection system according to claim 4, wherein the or the respective anchoring member comprises an attachment portion by which it is attachable to the or the respective shoring member, and a support member-receiving portion for receiving therein or thereon the foot end of the or the respective support member for anchoring same to the anchoring member.

6. An edge protection system according to claim 5, wherein the attachment portion comprises a slot or recess into which is fittable or seatable an upper end or extension of the or the respective shoring member.

7. An edge protection system according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the support member-receiving portion comprises a socket portion comprising a socket for receiving therein the foot end portion of the or the respective support member.

8. An edge protection system according to claim 7, wherein the retention in the socket of the foot end portion of the or the respective support member is by virtue of:

a friction fit; or provision of one or more engagement or detent elements, or one or more interengageable engagement or detent elements, on respectively one of or both of the socket portion of the anchoring member and the foot portion of the or the respective support member.

9. An edge protection system according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the attachment portion is unitable with the or the respective shoring member and retainable thereon by virtue of:

a friction fit; or the attachment portion comprising one or more clip or detent elements arranged, optionally in combination with one or more corresponding interengageable clip or detent elements on an upper end portion of the or the respective shoring member, to securely retain the anchoring member on the or the respective shoring member once mounted thereon.

10. An edge protection system according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more barrier panels each comprise one or more attachment means via which, or respective ones of which, a or a respective support member is attachable to the or the respective barrier panel in a side-by-side relationship thereto such that once they have been mutually attached or united, at least a majority portion of the or each respective support member lies generally facing and/or adjacent a major face of the or the respective barrier panel.

11. An edge protection system according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each respective attachment means comprises a or a respective aperture or loop portion formed in or provided on the or the respective barrier panel.

12. An edge protection system according to claim 11, wherein the or each respective aperture or loop portion is provided in or on an upper peripheral or edge region or portion of the or the respective barrier panel, whereby the or each respective attachment means is provided at a location in or on the or the respective barrier panel such that, in the assembled or installed system, the site of attachment of the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member is spaced from, or remote from, the site of anchoring of the or the respective support member to the or the respective anchoring means and thus to the or the respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement.

13. An edge protection system according to claim 12, wherein the said spacing or remote distance of the site of attachment of the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member from the site of anchoring of the or the respective support member to the or the respective anchoring means (and thus to the or the respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement) is at least a major proportion of the height of, optionally at least about 50 or 60 or 70 or 80% of the height of, the or the respective barrier panel.

14. An edge protection system according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each barrier panel comprises at least one aperture constituting said attachment means, optionally a plurality of apertures constituting said attachment means, in or through any selected one of which a or a respective support member may be placed or inserted so as to be attached to the or the respective barrier panel.

15. An edge protection system according to claim 14, wherein the or each barrier panel is formed of a perforated or mesh material.

16. An edge protection system according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each barrier panel has a generally planar configuration.

17. An edge protection system according to claim 16, wherein the or each barrier panel includes one or more regions or portions whose shape or configuration protrudes at least partially out of the general plane of the barrier panel.

18. An edge protection system according to claim 17, wherein a said out-of-the-plane region or portion of the or each barrier panel comprises an upper peripheral or edge region or portion thereof which is angled out of the general plane of the panel, optionally at an angle in the range of from about 20 or 30 degrees up to about 50 or 60 or 70 or 80 or 90 degrees relative to the general plane of the barrier panel, and which provides an upper peripheral or edge region or portion of the barrier panel via which the barrier panel has attached thereto the or the respective elongate support member(s).

19. An edge protection system according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein a, or a further, said out-of-the-plane region or portion of the or each barrier panel comprises a mid-region or mid-portion thereof, optionally a region or portion located intermediate the upper and lower peripheral or edge regions/portions thereof, which forms or includes a kink or peaked or valleyed or pleated portion, so as to form a bearing or abutment portion of the barrier panel against which a side wall of the or a respective support member bears, abuts, or rests when it has been attached to the barrier panel.

20. An edge protection system according to claim 19, wherein the said kinked or peaked/valleyed or pleated region or portion located intermediate the upper and lower peripheral or edge regions/portions of the barrier panel is substantially half-way up or along the height of the barrier panel, or is anywhere within a height region thereof defined by boundary lines lying at about 10 and about 90, or about 20 and about 80, or about 30 and about 70, or about 40 and about 60, % of the total height of the barrier panel.

21. An edge protection system according to any preceding claim, wherein a lower or foot peripheral or edge region of the or each barrier panel is provided with a supporting sheet or plate extending over at least part of the length thereof, to provide extra supporting rigidity and/or strength to that part or portion of the barrier panel.

22. An edge protection system according to any preceding claim, wherein the or the respective shoring member to which is anchored, via the or a respective anchoring means, the or a respective support member, comprises a or a respective shoring post and/or a or a respective shoring panel.

23. A kit of parts for forming an edge protection system for protecting an edge of a trench or excavation, the trench or excavation having at least one sidewall which is shored by means of a shoring arrangement comprising at least one shoring member, wherein the kit comprises:

one or more elongate support members;

24. A method of protecting an edge of a trench or excavation having at least one sidewall which is shored by means of a shoring arrangement comprising at least one shoring member, the method comprising:

providing the components of an edge protection system according to any one of claims 1 to 22;

anchoring to a respective shoring member of the shoring arrangement, using the or a respective said anchoring means, a or a respective foot end of the or a respective support member;

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the step of attaching the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member is carried out by hanging the or the respective barrier panel over the or the respective support member.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the edge protection system is as dependent through claim 11 or claim 14, and wherein the step of attaching the or the respective barrier panel to the or the respective support member is carried out by hanging the or the respective barrier panel over the or the respective support member such that the or the respective support member is inserted through a respective aperture, hole or gap in the or the respective barrier panel.

27. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein, once the or the respective support member has been anchored to the or the respective shoring member and the or the respective barrier panel has been attached to the or the respective support member, the or the respective barrier panel abuts, contacts or rests on the ground immediately adjacent the trench or excavation edge, or abuts, contacts or rests against an upper end portion of a or a respective shoring post of the shoring arrangement, and/or an upper lateral edge portion of a or a respective shoring panel of the shoring arrangement.

28. An edge protection system, or a kit of parts for forming an edge protection system, or a method of protecting an edge of a trench or excavation, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB 1621021.3 Examiner: George Talbot