US20060214150A1

US20060214150A1 - Safety net mounting assembly for a single floor of multi-story building

Info

Publication number: US20060214150A1
Application number: US11/368,026
Authority: US
Inventors: Chris Cockerell; Brian Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-04
Filing date: 2006-03-03
Publication date: 2006-09-28

Abstract

A mounting assembly structured to secure a safety net to a single one of a plurality of floors of a multi-floor building being constructed, to prevent objects from falling from the building. A stanchion is movably connected to a corresponding support arm selectively disposable into and out of an operative position, wherein adjacent support arms associated with adjacent stanchions are structured to support the safety net there between in an outwardly spaced cantilevered orientation relative to the single floor, when in the operative position. An attachment assembly includes at least two gripping structures, connected to the stanchion and relatively positionable to define a variably dimensioned, floor receiving space there between which facilitates securement of the attachment assembly to a single one of any of the plurality of floors, regardless of the transverse dimension thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a safety net assembly for catching falling items from one or more floors of a multi-floor building being constructed. More specifically, the invention relates to a mounting assembly for operatively connecting a safety net to only a single one of any of the plurality of floors of a building as versus adjacent floors and/or a plurality of floors of the building during various phases of its construction.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has long been known to install safety nets to the exterior face about the margin of a floor of a multi-story building under construction so as to catch falling objects. Information about the safety net field and its importance can be found in the literature generally and in particular, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,834 to Nusbaum, which is incorporated herein by reference. As shown in the drawings, in particular FIG. 1, of the Nusbaum patent, the invention disclosed therein relies on at least a two-floor connecting or mounting system. More specifically, a bracket is secured to the lower floor of two adjacent floors of a building being constructed and a support pole extends outwardly and upwardly there from. A safety net extends from the upper floor to the support pole and is thereby disposed to catch any objects that might fall from the upper of the two adjacent floors as well as a floor located above the safety net. It will be appreciated that the assembly and installation of the patented Nusbaum invention would be a time consuming process involving some repetitive travel between the lower floor and the adjacent upper floor, and/or require more than one person to install the assembly. Because of the safety concerns associated with falling objects, as well as required governmental restrictions imposed on the construction industry, there is a need for an improved safety net assembly, which is safe, reliable and efficiently installed on buildings under construction.
Accordingly, a proposed safety assembly of this type should be capable of being attached to a single one of any of a plurality of floors in a multi-floor building, during the construction thereof, without the need for concurrent attachment or connection to two or more floors. Moreover the ability to attach to a single floor overcomes recognized disadvantages associated with known safety net mounting or installation assemblies, while assuring a preferred and required degree of safety at the construction site. The single floor installation provides easier and less time consuming assembly, which in turn renders it more cost effective and may increase the chances that such a device would be installed and used at an early stage of construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is intended to present a solution to these and other needs which remain in the art, and relates to a mounting assembly for supporting a safety net to catch objects which might otherwise fall from a floor of a building under construction, to the ground. The mounting assembly is structured to be secured to a single one of any of the floors of a multi-floor building during its construction.
Also, the structural versatility of the one or more preferred embodiments of the mounting assembly of the present invention is such as to facilitate attachment to concrete slabs, or other structures defining the building's floor plates, of various sizes. Accordingly, the mounting assembly of the present invention includes an adjustable feature to accommodate variations in the thickness or depth of the building floor to which it is attached. This same structural and operative adjustable features facilitate installation, connection and removal of the mounting assembly at appropriate stages in construction of the building.
Therefore it is an overall object to provide a safety net which is installed on and extends outwardly from a single floor utilizing at least one, but more practically, a plurality of mounting assemblies of the type described to increase the efficiency and the cost of such installations.
Moreover, each of a plurality of mounting assemblies selectively disposable to support a corresponding safety net includes a stanchion preferably having a multipart structure including at least a first or upper portion and a second or lower portion. The safety net mounting assembly also includes an attachment assembly for removably but securely attaching the stanchion, as well as the remaining, associated components of the mounting assembly, to a predetermined single one of the floors of the building being constructed. In at least one preferred embodiment of the mounting assembly of the present invention, the attachment assembly comprises a plurality of at least two gripping structures. The gripping structures are fixedly connected to predetermined portions of the stanchion and as such are capable of being adjustably positioned relative to one another and relative to the single floor to which the attachment assembly is removably but securely attached.
Accordingly, the attachment assembly comprises an adjustability feature, wherein portions thereof, including the gripping structures, are separable at a variety of spaced distances from one another to receive floor slabs of different thicknesses there between. Moreover, the attachment assembly includes an upper gripping structure and a gripping structure adjustably interconnected to engage the oppositely disposed upper and lower surfaces of the single cement or other constructed floor slab to which the attachment assembly is mounted. Further, the upper and lower gripping structures of the attachment assembly are movably interconnected adjacent the peripheral or marginal portion of the single floor to which the attachment assembly is secured.
Each of the one or more mounting assemblies further includes a support arm operatively disposed and structured to at least partially support the safety net in its operative position. A connecting assembly is disposed and structured to movably connect the support arm to the stanchion thereby facilitating the selective disposition of the support arm into and out of its operative, supporting position relative to the safety net. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the operative supporting disposition of the support arm comprises it being substantially cantilevered outwardly from the periphery of the single floor slab to which the mounting assembly is connected. However, the structure of the connecting assembly, movably securing the support arm to the stanchion, further facilitates selective disposition of the stanchion into a non-operative position. The non-operative position may be generally described as the support arm being disposed in an at least substantially upright, vertical orientation or even in a substantially parallel or similar alignment with the stanchion. In this non-operative position the support arm and the safety net do not extend outwardly from the side of the building. As such, clear passage is available for hoisting materials to and from the plurality of floors along the corresponding side of the building.
To support the weight of the safety net and any falling object caught thereby, a cable or other appropriate structure defines a tether connected between predetermined portions of the stanchion and the support arm. Additional structural features of one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention include structure of the support arm provided to attach the safety net in its intended operative position, as being supported by the support arm. When installed on a single floor of a building being constructed, the safety net opens so as to be to be exposed to the higher floors of the building and/or higher portions of the building face to trap and catch any items which fall from the single floor to which the safety net is attached or one or more floors above the safety net.
Accordingly one feature of the present invention is to provide a mounting assembly for a safety net capable of being installed on a single one of any of the plurality of floors of a multi-floor building in a more efficient manner than known mounting assemblies requiring installation on two or more floors. Moreover, one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention include an adjustability feature of the mounting assembly, which facilitates the removable attachment to cement slabs or other constructed floors of different thicknesses or transverse dimensions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing two spaced mounting assemblies attached to only a single floor of a building under construction, wherein a safety net is supported in an operative position relative to the side of the building and the periphery of the floor to which it is attached.
FIG. 2 is a side view of one preferred embodiment of one mounting assembly of the present invention mounted on a single one of a plurality floors in an operative position.
FIG. 3 is an exploded side view of the mounting assembly of the embodiment of FIG. 2 and comprises one of a possible plurality of mounting assemblies, such as represented in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional side view in partial cutaway of the mounting assembly of the embodiment of FIG. 3 in an assembled mode.
FIG. 5 is a sectional side view in partial cutaway and phantom illustrating the mounting assembly of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 ready to be connected to a predetermined single floor.
FIG. 6 is a sectional side view in partial cutaway and phantom of the embodiments of FIG. 2 through 4 illustrating installation of the mounting assembly on the single predetermined floor slab.
FIGS. 7A through 7D are each side views in partial cutaway showing a preferred embodiment of the mounting assembly of the present invention mounted on a single floor of different thicknesses or transverse dimensions.
FIG. 8A is a side view of a first portion of the stanchion of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 7.
FIG. 8B is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 8A.
FIG. 9A is a top view of a second portion of the stanchion of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 7.
FIG. 9B is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 9A.
FIG. 9C is an end view of an embodiment of FIGS. 9A and 9B.
FIG. 10 is a side view of the invention in an alternative embodiment, showing one mounting assembly attached to the single floor of a building under construction, having an arm which extends generally horizontally outwardly from the floor of the building.
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

It is to be understood at the outset that the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in different forms. Of course, there is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein at least one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment or embodiments illustrated.
With primary reference to FIG. 1, the present invention is shown in a first preferred embodiment comprising a safety net mounting assembly, generally indicated as 10 installed on a single one of a plurality of floors 50 of a multi-floor building being constructed. As represented, a plurality of the mounting assemblies 10 will normally be used during the various construction phases of the building. However, for purposes of clarity the structural and operative details of the present invention will be made with specific references to one mounting assembly 10. Moreover, as practically applied, a safety net 30 will be disposed in its intended or operative position by being supported and extending between at least two adjacent mounting assemblies 10, both of which are removably attached to and disposed in the operative position represented in FIG. 1 on any single one of the plurality of floors 50 of the building. When in the represented operative position the safety net 30 will catch objects falling from the floor to which the corresponding mounting assemblies are attached or at least some of the floras located there above.
With primary reference to FIGS. 2 through 9, each of the one or more mounting assemblies 10 comprises a stanchion 11 having a first or upper portion 12 and a second or lower portion 14, shown in detail in FIGS. 8 and 9. The first portion 12 may be provided with a series of holes 12′ any one of which is disposable in aligned relation with a hole 13 in the second portion 14. A suitable bolt or like connector may pass through aligned ones of the holes 12′ and 13, such the first and second portions 12, 14 respectively, may be movably and/or adjustably interconnected in coaxial relation to one another in the upright orientation represented.
The mounting assembly 10 also includes a support arm 15, having an inner or proximal segment 16 and an outer or distal segment 17, wherein the support arm 15 is pivotally connected as at 18 to the stanchion 11 at preferably, but not necessarily, the first portion 12. The pivotal or other preferred movable connection of the support arm 15 to the stanchion 11 facilitates a selective positioning of the support arm 15 between the operative position as demonstrated by the cantilevered orientation of FIGS. 1 and 2 and a stored or non-operative position 15′ relative to the stanchion 11, as represented in phantom in FIGS. 7A through 7D. When in the non-operative position, the support arm 15′ may be disposed in a substantially upright or vertical orientation and/or a substantially parallel alignment with the stanchion 11. The outer end 17′ of the distal segment 17 of the support arm 15 includes a shackle or like connecting structure 19 to connect to a safety net 30 via a cable 31 comprising a reinforced border zone of the safety net 30. Similarly, the opposite or inboard end of the safety net 30 may be at least partially connected between adjacent mounting assemblies 10 by cable 31′.
With primary reference to FIGS. 3 through 9, a most preferred embodiment of the mounted assembly-10 includes an attachment assembly generally indicated as 20 and including two gripping structures 24 and 26. As shown in details in FIGS. 8A, 8B and 9A, through 9C, the gripping structures 24 and 26 are respectively connected to the second portion 14 and the first portion 12 of the stanchion 11. More specifically, each of the gripping structures 24 and 26 are fixedly secured to the respective portions 14 and 12 and are further structured to extend outwardly there from preferably, but not necessarily, in a common direction. In that the first and second portions 12 and 14 of the stanchion 12 are movably interconnected, the gripping structures 24 and 26 are also movable relative to one another so as to create define variably dimension, floor receiving space 28 therebetween. The size of the floor receiving space 28 may vary, at least to the extent of varying or adjustably determining the distance between the gripping structures 24 and 26 so as to accommodate and/or adapt to the transverse dimension or thickness of a particular, single floor slab 50 to which the attachment assembly 20 is to be connected. As set forth above, any of the plurality of holes or apertures 12′ formed in the first portion 12 of the stanchion 11 may be selectively aligned with the hole 13 formed in the second portion 14 of the stanchion 11. As such, coaxial positioning and preferably telescopic interconnection between the first and second portions 12 and 14 of the stanchion 11 is accomplished by aligning different ones of the plurality of holes 12′ with the hole 13 and thereby determine or define the variable dimension of the floor receiving spacing 28 between the gripping structures 24 and 26. As clearly shown in FIGS. 7A through 7D, varying the dimension of space 28 between the gripping structures 24 and 26 will adjust the attachment assembly 20 so as to conform to the transverse dimension of the floor slab or like floor structure 50 to which the mounting assembly 10 is to be secured. For purposes of clarity, the various floor slabs 50 in FIGS. 7A through 7D clearly represent different thicknesses or transverse dimensions, as should apparent.
More specific structural details of the gripping structures 24 and 26 are represented in the preferred embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9. As disclosed, the gripping structure 24 may include a plurality of spaced apart gripping structure segments 24′ each integrally or otherwise fixedly connected, such as by welding, to the second portion 14 of the stanchion 11, wherein each of the gripping structures segment 24′ may comprise or be shaped to assume an angle iron or like configuration. As such, the gripping structure 24 comprising a plurality of gripping structure segments 24′ disposed, dimensioned and configured such that an exposed surface 24″ confronts and/or attachably engages an under surface of the single floor 50 to which it is attached as clearly demonstrated in FIGS. 6 and 7A through 7D.
With primary reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the other of the two gripping structures 26 may also comprise a plurality of gripping structure segments 26′ disposed in spaced relation to one another and having an angle iron or other predetermined or preferred structural configuration. As such, an under surface thereof as at 26″ may face and/or confront the upper surface of the floor slab or like floor structure 50 to which it is attached, as also clearly demonstrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. Therefore, a secure, reliable and removable attachment of the stanchion 11 is accomplished by the adjustable positioning of the attachment assembly 20. In its removable but securely and reliably attached position, as demonstrated in indicated Figures, opposite surfaces of the single floor 50 to which the stanchion is connected are attachably engaged by the respective gripping structures 24 and 26.
In this regard, it is pointed out that floor slabs are typically constructed to have a thickness of in a range of somewhere between six inches (6″) to twelve inches (12″), and given the adjustable nature of the attachment assembly 20, it can be installed on these or other sized floor thicknesses. The adjustability feature is also important because there are variations within a given floor slab, meaning that even an eight inch (8″) slab may have variations because it is not entirely flat or level.
The gripping structures 24 and 26 of the attachment assembly 20 are also preferably provided with connectors specifically structured to accomplish a “biting” attachment or engagement into the opposite surfaces of the floor 50 to enhance the gripping action of the gripping structures 24 and 26 there with. With reference to FIG. 6, the connectors may include, but are not intended to be limited to, square head bolts, shown in the drawings, or hex head bolts which are not shown, as well as cup point bolts with nuts welded in place; cup point set screws with nuts welded in place, hex head cap screws with nut and washer; etc.
Each of a plurality of mounting assemblies 10 also comprises a support arm 15 connected to and at least partially supporting the safety net 30 at least when the support arms 15 and safety net 30 are in the operative position illustrated in FIG. 1. Support arm 15 includes an inner or proximal arm segment 16 and an outer or distal arm segment 17 which are preferably telescopically interconnected by a set screw and a series of holes as at 35, so as to be adjustable in overall length. Dependent on the actual application and installation site, the overall length of the support arm may vary to include, but not be limited to an overall length of generally about thirteen to fifteen feet.
When the arm 15 is in the attitude seen in FIG. 1, the arm is tethered by a cable means 5, one end of which is connected to the upper zone 11′ of the stanchion 11 and the other end of which is tethered to the support arm 15, as at 35. The preferred embodiment provides a forged shackle thick plate 19′ for the shackle connection welded to the inner portion of arm 15. The arm of course may be moved into the non-operative and substantially vertical or aligned orientation 15′, as demonstrated in FIGS. 5 and 7 in phantom lines for hoisting of materials along the side of the building, to and from the floors 50.
Additional structural features of at least some of the preferred embodiments of the present mounting assembly invention include, a retaining assembly which may comprise an elongated strap 45, having predetermined dimensions such as, but not limited to, about one inch wide and generally between about eighteen inches and twenty-four inches in length. Retaining strap or like structure is provided for securing the support arm 15 when in a non-operative, vertical, and/or aligned position as indicated in phantom lines as 15′. Further a cam buckle or like connecting/adjusting structure 41 may be included and used for adjusting and securing the retaining strap. In use, the mounting assembly 10, including the stanchion 11 and attachment assembly 20 is positioned laterally as shown in FIG. 5 and onto the periphery or edge of a single floor plate 50 as represented in FIG. 6. In this represented position, appropriate connectors, generally of the type set forth above, are used on or with the gripping structures 24 and 26 of the attachment assembly 20 and are employed to effectively bite into, clamp and/or “sandwich” the single floor slab 50 between the gripping structures 24 and 26.
With reference to FIG. 10, an alternative embodiment is illustrated wherein the mounting assembly 10′, including a stanchion 11′ of a generally lesser height dimension, is secured to the underside of the single floor plate 50. In this embodiment, the arm 15 may assume an orientation which is generally parallel to the floor plate 50. Other aspects, including the attachment of a safety net 30, shown in FIG. 1, are similar to the previous embodiment disclosed above with reference to FIGS. 1-5. Also, with regard to the length of arm 15, it is believed that a length of thirteen feet is suitable for the invention, although other lengths, such as fifteen feet will also be suitable.
Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Now that the invention has been described,

Claims

1. A mounting assembly structured to secure a safety net to a single floor of a building under construction, said mounting assembly comprising:

a stanchion and a support arm movably connected to one another,

said support arm selectively disposable into and out of an operative position and structured to at least partially support the safety net at least when said support arm is in said operative position,

an attachment assembly connected to said stanchion and structured to removably attached said stanchion, said support arm and said safety net to only the single floor of the building, and

said operative position comprising said support arm and the safety net disposed in an outwardly, substantially cantilevered orientation relative to the single floor.

2. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a tether interconnecting said support arm in supported relation to said stanchion at least when said support arm is in said operative position.

3. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said tether extends outwardly from said stanchion to an intermediate portion of said support arm at least when said support arm is in said operative position.

4. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said attachment assembly comprises a plurality of gripping structures, at least two of said gripping structures relatively positionable to facilitate attachable engagement of said attachment assembly with any single one of a plurality of differently dimensioned floors of the building.

5. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said two gripping structures are disposed in spaced relation to one another and structured to attachably engage opposite surfaces of the single floor.

6. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said attachment assembly further comprises a variably dimensioned floor receiving space between said two gripping structures.

7. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said attachment assembly further comprises a variably dimensioned floor receiving space between said two gripping structures.

8. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said stanchion comprises a first portion and a second portion movably connected to one another; each of said two gripping structures connected to a different one of said first and second portions and movable therewith relative to one another, the variable dimension of said floor receiving space at least partially dependent on the relative positions of said first and second portions.

9. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said first and second portions of said stanchion are relatively movable and connected in substantially coaxial relation to one another.

10. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said first and second portions of said stanchion are telescopically interconnected.

11. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said stanchion comprises a first portion and a second portion movably connected in coaxial relation to one another.

12. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said attachment assembly comprises at least two gripping structures each connected to a different one of said first and second portions and movable therewith relative to one another.

13. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said attachment assembly further comprises a variably dimensioned, floor receiving space between said two gripping structures, the variable dimension of said floor receiving space at least partially dependent on relative positions of said first and second portions.

14. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said two gripping structures extend transversely outward from said stanchion in a substantially common direction; said two gripping structures disposed in spaced relation to one another and structured to attachably engage opposite surfaces of the single floor structure.

15. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said support arm is selectively disposable in said operative position and in a non-operative position, said non-operative position at least partially comprising said support arm disposed in a substantially upright orientation.

16. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said non-operative position further comprises said support arm substantially aligned with said stanchion.

17. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 16 further comprising a retaining assembly disposed and structured to at least partially interconnect said support arm to and aligned with said stanchion.

18. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said support arm comprises a distal segment and a proximal segment connected in substantially coaxial relation to one another.

19. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said proximal segment is pivotally interconnected to said stanchion and said distal segment extends outwardly from said proximal segment and is movable therewith relative to said stanchion.

20. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 18 further comprising a tether interconnecting said support arm in supported relation to said stanchion, said tether extending from said stanchion to substantially a junction between said proximal and distal segments of said support arm.

21. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said support arm comprises a distal segment and a proximal segment connected in substantially coaxial relation to one another.

22. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said proximal segment is pivotally interconnected to said stanchion and said distal segment extends outwardly from said proximal segment and is movable therewith relative to said stanchion.

23. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 22 further comprising a tether interconnecting said support arm in supported relation to said stanchion, said tether extending from said stanchion to substantially a junction between said proximal and distal segments of said support arm.

24. A mounting assembly structured to secure a safety net to a single floor of a building under construction, said mounting assembly comprising:

a stanchion comprising a first portion and a second portion movably connected to one another,

a support arm movably connected to said stanchion and selectively disposable into and out of an operative position, said support arm structured to at least partially support the safety net at least when said support arm is in said operative position,

an attachment assembly comprising at least two gripping structures each connected to and movable with a different one of said first and second portions of said stanchion,

said two gripping structures collectively structured to facilitate attachable engagement with the single floor and being relatively positionable to define a variably dimension floor receiving space therebetween, and

25. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said support arm comprises a proximal segment and a distal segment connected in linearly aligned relation to one another, said proximal segment pivotally interconnected to said stanchion and said distal segment extending outwardly from said proximal segment and movable therewith relative to said stanchion.

26. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 25 further comprising a tether interconnecting said support arm in supported relation to said stanchion, said tether extending from said stanchion to substantially a junction between said proximal and distal segments of said support arm.

27. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said first and second portions of said stanchion are relatively movable and connected in substantially coaxial relation to one another.

28. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said two gripping structures extend transversely outward from said stanchion in a substantially common direction; said two gripping structures disposed in spaced relation to one another and structured to attachably engage opposite surfaces of the single floor structure.

29. An assembly structured to secure at least one safety net to a single floor of a building under construction, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of mounting assemblies each comprising a stanchion including a first portion and a second portion movably connected to one another,

a plurality of support arms each movably connected to a different one of said stanchions, each of said plurality of support arms disposable into and out of an operative position,

an attachment assembly connected to each of said stanchions and structured to removably attach corresponding ones of said stanchions and support arms to only the single floor of the building,

each of said attachment assemblies comprising at least two gripping structures each of said gripping structures connected to or movable with a different one of said first and second portions of said stanchion, and

said operative position comprising said support arms and a corresponding safety net disposed in an outwardly, substantially cantilevered orientation relative to the single floor.

30. A mounting assembly as recited in claim 29 wherein adjacent ones of said support arm are structured and relatively disposed to at least partially support a common safety net there between at least when said adjacent ones of said support arms are in said operative position.