AU2008100916A4 - Fencing Panel Support Foot - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Invention Title: FENCING PANEL SUPPORT FOOT The invention is described in the following statement: 00 O FENCING PANEL SUPPORT FOOT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fencing panel support foot, for example 00 those used to support temporary fencing panels for use around the perimeter of building floors during construction of a building.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION OTemporary fencing finds use in varied applications where an open space is to be fenced-off or access to and from restricted or unsafe areas is to be 00 0 10 prevented. In the building industry, it is known to erect temporary fencing around N the perimeter of a building site under construction, and also around the perimeter of floors of a multi-story building during construction in order to protect workers and objects from falling to the ground below, thereby averting dangerous and hazardous situations.

Such temporary fencing has typically included a plurality of fencing modules or panels which have a foot flange or similar which is bolted or clamped to the concrete floors of the building. While this fencing is relatively strong and secure, the bolting or clamping is labour intensive and hence costly to install and remove.

More recently, fencing has been designed with fencing modules inserted into support feet which rest on the floor surface. The support feet take the form of footing blocks and are typically made from plastic, concrete, or rubber composite, with sufficient weight to support a fencing panel in an upright position. Such fencing has typically been used around building sites, and more recently even on above-ground floors of multi-storey buildings under construction.

This type of fencing is much less time consuming and more cost effective to install as no bolting or clamping is required, and is ideal to use on uneven surfaces. However, on a smooth surface such as on concrete building floors or slabs, the footing blocks tend to be relatively easily moved, for example when a worker leans against the block or supported panel portion, even when they are sufficiently weighted down. While bolting or clamping the block to the floor may resolve the problem, such a solution then again has the problem of being time consuming and costly to install.

00 0 It is therefore desirable to provide a support foot for a temporary fencing N panel which offers improved resistance against in-plane displacement when sitting on a planar surface such as a concrete floor.

CJ SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 00 o In one form, the present invention provides a fencing panel support foot arranged for supporting fencing panels in upright-erected manner on a floor surface, including a footing block having at least one mount for receiving a Smounting member of a fencing panel and a ground engaging structure disposed for resting on a floor surface, the footing block being of such weight and 10 dimensions as to prevent toppling-over of an upright fencing panel when mounted i to the footing block and when the panel is subjected to predetermined forces normal to the panel's expanse, wherein the ground engaging structure is made of or includes ground engaging surface material defining or providing a high coefficient of friction as regards concrete building floor surfaces such as to counter slippage of the footing block when subjected to predetermined operational loads.

Ideally, the fencing panel support foot includes a friction coefficient value between the ground engaging surface material and the floor surface not exceeding 0,4.

Preferably, the ground engaging structure comprises a plurality of feet members or heel supports formed of a rubber material having sufficient compression strength to react the weight of the footing block without substantial deformation.

In one form, the footing block includes a plurality of elongate steel plate members separated by at least one steel tubular insert for receiving a post of said fencing panel. A footing block formed of steel provides sufficient weight and strength for supporting most known fence panel types. Use of a steel tube to provide the fence panel mount at the footing block minimises wear and tear of the footing block mount caused by the insertion and removal of fence panels. Also, tubular inserts formed of steel provide tighter, more accurate, receptacles for fence panel posts as commonly present in many types of temporary fencing panels.

00 0 An illustrative embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures. Further features and advantages of the invention will also become apparent from the accompanying description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 00 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support foot according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown from above; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the support foot of Figure 1, shown from athe underside; Figure 3 is a plan view of the support foot of Figure 1; 00 0 10 Figure 4 is a side elevation of the support foot of Figure 1; CI Figure 5 is an end elevation of the support foot of Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figure 1 shows a support foot 10 including a footing block 12 and a plurality of heel supports or feet membersl 4.

The footing block 12 is formed of steel, having three elongate vertical steel panels 16 in a substantially parallel spaced apart arrangement. A total of six identical tubular inserts 18, also formed of steel, whose respective vertically extending axes are disposed substantially parallel to one another, are welded between facing sides of the panels 16, three each between each facing panel pair, with one each near opposite terminal ends of the panels and one centrally located. The tubular inserts 18 serve as mounts for insertion of support poles of a fencing panel (not shown). Respective transverse steel bars 19 located at the terminal opposite ends of the plate stack are welded to the upper edge of each end of the panels 16 to thereby to increase overall stiffness of the welded assembly.

The dimensions of the footing block 12 and the panels 16 will be dependent on the conditions and the environment, and the weight of the fencing panel. Preferably however each panel will be about 740mm in length, 100mm in width, and between 6mm to 8mm in thickness.

As shown in Figure 2, the six tubular inserts 18 extend below the depth (ie lower longitudinal edge) of the panels 16, although not to an extent of the height of the heel supports 14. The diameter of the tubular inserts 18 should be sufficient 00 0 to allow the support poles to fit snugly inside. Preferably, this will be between to 40mm, most preferably 33.7mm outside diameter (or 25 nominal bore).

Six rectangular steel plates 22 lie transverse to the longitudinal extension of panels 16 and are welded to the lower edges of the panels 16 so that two 00 plates 22 are located on either side of a pair of said tubular inserts 18. The plates 22 provide respective support platforms for connecting the heel supports 14 to the footing block 12, and to again assist in stiffening the entire footing structure. The plates 22 are welded to the panels 16, although other attachment mechanisms may be used, eg mounting angles, etc. The dimensions of the steel plates 22 will 00

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C 10 depend upon the dimensions of the footing block 12, and accordingly the N diameter of tubular inserts 18. Assuming the dimensions of the footing block 12 and tubular inserts 18 are approximately as set out previously, the steel plates 22 will preferably be about 50mm in width, 100mm in length and 10mm in thickness.

Eight heel supports 14 are shown, with four heel supports 14 positioned at each end of the footing block 12 along its base. The positioning of the heel supports 14 may take other forms, however preferably the footing block 12 is to sit substantially horizontal to the ground, and accordingly the heel supports 14 should be evenly spaced along the base. An additional four heel supports 14 may also be located centrally, ie surrounding the centrally located tubular inserts 18.

Each heel support 14 is cylindrically-shaped and made of solid rubber defining or providing a high coefficient of friction as regards concrete building floor surfaces, such as black natural rubber with a durometer hardness of 50-55.

Preferably, the heel supports 14 include a ground engaging lower surface that is roughened thereby to provide non-slip ground engagement members or a base for the support foot 10. Other suitable non-slip materials could also be used. Each heel support 14 is preferably about 15mm in depth and 40mm in diameter, although the exact sizing is dependent on the conditions and weight of the structure, and so may take other dimensions.

Alternatively, cylindrical steel stumps could be used for the feet members 14, with a black natural rubber (or other non-slip material) terminal plate providing the non-slip engagement component of the footing block 12. In other forms, the ground engaging surface material may comprise a plate made of rubber (eg black natural rubber) or other non-slip material, either being solid and substantially 00 planar, or include formed heels in the plate. The plate may be located at each end cof the support foot or alternatively cover the entire ground engaging area.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the heel supports 14 are attached to the steel plates 22 by bolts 24 and corresponding nuts 25. The bolt head is preferably 00

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moulded or countersunk into the rubber heel support 14 during manufacture, although other ways of securing the feet 14 to the support plates 22 could be employed, eg using adhesives.

OHaving the individual heel supports 14 attached in a replaceable manner such as the bolts, to the footing block 12 allows the heel supports 14 to be 00 O 10 replaced if required, especially in light of the rough treatment which the support N foot 10 may be subjected to during use.

It is preferred the weight of the support foot 10 is less than 20kg to allow a worker to lift the support foot 10 with relative ease. The weight of the foot 10 will however depend upon the conditions of use, but for use on an above ground building floor will preferably be about 18kg. To counter slippage of the support foot 10, the friction coefficient values between the concrete floor and the support foot 10 will need to be determined with respect to the predetermined operation loads the fence will be subjected to, and the surrounding environment. Preferably, the coefficient value will not exceed 0,4. This has been found by the inventor to be obtainable by using the preferred dimensions, weights and materials as herein described in normal operating conditions and environments.

It will be appreciated that persons skilled in the art could implement the present invention in different ways to the one described above, and variations may be produced without departing from its spirit and scope.

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.

00 Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this Sspecification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be ataken as an admission that any of the material forms part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art, in any country, on or before 00 the filing date of the patent application to which the present specification pertains.

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Claims (4)

1. A fencing panel support foot arranged for supporting fencing panels in V upright-erected manner on a floor surface, the support foot including: 00 a footing block having at least one mount for receiving a mounting member of a fencing panel, and a ground engaging structure disposed for resting on a _floor surface, the footing block being of sufficient weight and dimensions as to prevent toppling-over of an upright fencing panel when mounted to the footing _block and when the panel is subjected to predetermined forces normal to the 00O panel's expanse, c 10 wherein the ground engaging structure includes ground engaging surface material defining or providing a high coefficient of friction as regards concrete building floor surfaces to counter slippage of the footing block when subjected to predetermined operational loads.

2. A fencing panel support foot according to claim 1, wherein the ground engaging structure includes a plurality of heel supports formed of a rubber material having sufficient compression strength to react the weight of the footing block without substantial deformation.

3. A fencing panel support foot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the footing block includes a plurality of elongate steel plate members separated by at least one steel tubular insert for receiving a post of said fencing panel.

4. A fencing panel support foot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the friction coefficient value between the ground engaging surface material and a concrete building floor surface does not exceed 0,4. A fencing panel support foot substantially as herein described with reference to any one of embodiments illustrated in the accompanying figures. JOHN CLEMENT PRESTON WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS UIP1188AU00