GB2043142A

GB2043142A - Safety barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2043142A
Application number: GB7906410A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SAGELINE Ltd
Current assignee: SAGELINE Ltd
Priority date: 1979-02-23
Filing date: 1979-02-23
Publication date: 1980-10-01

Abstract

A barrier has two sections 1 pivotally connected together by two hinge members 2. Each section is constructed of a tubular frame 1a and wire mesh 1b and is equipped with an extendable member 4 slidable within a sleeve 5 attached to the respective section 1 by brackets 6. A pin 8 may be inserted into one of a series of holes 7 in each extendable member 4 to prevent it retracting into its sleeve 5. Each extendable member 4 has a spring- loaded shoe 9 for engagement with an overhead abutment to locate the barrier and prevent its collapse. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Barrier This invention relates to barriers. It is particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for application to temporary safety barriers, erected for example to guard a lift shaft aperture during maintenance work.

The invention provides a barrier comprising at least one barrier section having an extendable member and fixing means for preventing the member from retracting from an extended position in which the member comprises means for resiliently engaging an abutment, the arrangement being such that, in use, with the barrier arranged generally vertical the member resiliently engages an overhead abutment to locate the barrier.

The resilient engaging means may comprise a spring loaded shoe. A barrier of two or more sections may have the sections hinged together, with an extendable member on at least one of the sections. The or each extendable member may be located telescopically in a sleeve attached to the respective section to provide for its extension, and the fixing means for preventing the extendable member from retracting from an extended position may comprise a series of holes in the extendable member and a pin which can be inserted into any one of them. The barrier may also comprise securing means for securing the or each extendable member in a retracted position, and such securing means may comprise corresponding holes in the sleeve and extendable member so that the pin may be inserted through the sleeve and into the extendable member.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a safety barrier for use during lift maintenance and constructed in accordance with the invention, having two sections with an extendable member on each; Figure 2 is a perspective diagrammatic view of part of the barrier in Fig. 1 taken generally in the direction of the arrow II and showing one of the extendable members in its fully retracted position; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the outer end of the extendable members taken in a vertical plane enclosing the line Ill-Ill in Fig. 1; and Figure 4 is a sectional view taken through a hinge of the barrier in a horizontal plane enclosing the line IV-IV in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a barrier having two sections 1, each constructed of a tubular frame 1 a and wire mesh 1 b. The sections 1 are pivotally joined by two U-shaped hinge members 2.

Each section 1 has a peg 3 attached to its lower side for locating the barrier. An extenda bie member 4 is provided on each section 1.

Each member 4 is of tubular construction and is slidable in an outer sleeve 5 which is attached to its respective section 1 by two brackets 6 wrapped around upper and lower tubes of the frame 1 a. There is a longitudinal series of holes 7 in the extendable member 4 and by inserting a pin 8 into one of the holes 7 the extendable member can be prevented from retracting from a position in which the pin 8 is in contact with the top of the sleeve 5. There is also a hole 7a in the extendable member towards its outer end, which cooperates with a hole in the sleeve adjacent to the upper bracket 6 so that the extendable member 4 may be held in a retracted position by inserting the pin 8 through the hole in the sleeve and into the hole 7a in the extendable member, as shown in Fig. 2.

Each extendable member 4 is equipped with an spring loaded shoe 9, on which is glued a rubber pad 9a, as shown in Fig. 3.

The shoe 9 is welded to a rod 10 which slides in a collar 11 and has fixed to its other end an end disc 1 2. A plug 1 3 is welded to the inside of the extendable member 4 and a compression spring 14 is located between the end disc 1 2 and the plug 1 3 so as to urge them apart, that is to urge the shoe 9 in a direction out of the extendable member 4.

The shoe 9 is retained in the member 4 by the collar 11 which is fixed in the end of the member 4 by grub screws (or other suitable means). The outward movement of the shoe 9 is limited by the contact of the disc 1 2 with the collar 11.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a hinge member 2 showing a means of limiting the relative rotation of the two sections 1. A Ushaped peg 1 5 is inserted into holes in each section frame 1 a and impinges against the base of the U-shaped hinge member 2 when the corresponding section 1 has rotated through a certain angle relative to the hinge member. Thus a limit position is reached as in Fig. 4 when both pegs 1 5 are impinging against the hinge member 2.

When the barrier is used to guard a lift shaft door aperture, the pegs 3 are inserted into the lower door track of the lift and the extendable members 4 are extended so that the shoes are in contact with the ceiling of the door frame of the lift shaft with each spring 1 4 compressed to a suitable extent. Retraction of the extendable members 4 is prevented by the insertion of each pin 8 into appropriate holes, and the barrier is thus held in position, providing a safety guard for the door aperture while maintenance work may be carried out.

The section 1 of the barrier may carry appropriate warning notices fixed to the wire mesh 1 b.

Claims

1. A barrier comprising at least one barrier section having an extendable member and fixing means for preventing the member from retracting from an extended position in which the member comprises means for resiliently engaging an abutment, the arrangement being such that, in use, with the barrier arranged generally vertical the member resiliently engages an overhead abutment to locate the barrier.

2. A barrier as claimed in claim 1 in which the resilient engaging means comprises a spring loaded shoe.

3. A barrier as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 comprising at least two sections hinged together, at least one of the sections having an extendable member.

4. A barrier as claimed in claim 3 in which the or each section with an extendable member has a sleeve attached, the respective extendable member being telescopically located in its corresponding sleeve.

5. A barrier as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the fixing means comprises a series of holes in the or each extendable member and a pin for each extendable member which can be inserted into any one of the holes.

6. A barrier as claimed in any of the preceding claims further comprising securing means for securing the or each extendable member in a retracted position.

7. A barrier as claimed in claim 5 when dependent on claim 4 in which the sleeve and extendable member have corresponding holes such that the extendable member may be secured in the retracted position by inserting the pin through the corresponding holes.

8. A barrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.