GB2228036A

GB2228036A - Safety devices for buildings

Info

Publication number: GB2228036A
Application number: GB8901325A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Glynn John Hawkins
Original assignee: HEMPSTED GROUP HOLDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: HEMPSTED GROUP HOLDINGS Ltd
Priority date: 1989-01-21
Filing date: 1989-01-21
Publication date: 1990-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2009-01-21
Also published as: GB2228036B; GB8901325D0

Abstract

A safety device for use, in the construction of buildings, comprises a protective sheet 12 mounted on a carrier 13 for movement between an extended condition in which the protective sheet extends between the carrier and an attachment 14 spaced from the carrier and a retracted condition in which the protective sheet is stored as a roll on the carrier. The carrier is connected to a first structure which may be part of a building undergoing construction and the attachment is connected to a second structure which may be a further part of a building undergoing construction. The carrier includes spring means for placing the protective sheet in tension when it is extended between the carrier and the attachment. Preferably, the carrier and the attachment are slidable on respective rails for movement transversely of the direction in which the protective sheet can be extended and retracted. <IMAGE>

Description

"Safety devices for buildings" This invention relates to apparatus for use in building works to guard against falling tools, buildings or other materials.

It is not uncommon, when working, for example on a roof, particularly during construction or reconstruction work, for materials or tools to fall to the floor of the building, or even for workmen themselves to fall. In the construction of a large warehouse or other similar structure, the distance of such a fall can be great. It is usual to rig a sheet, often of plastics material, over the roof but this does not serve to catch materials falling away below the roof and in any case would not normally be strong enough to catch heavy objects or to serve to break the fall of a workman.

Temporary sheets are sometimes rigged below but the usual plastics materials are not very strong.

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide apparatus for use as a safety device in building works of a particularly convenient kind and in which a high level of safety can be maintained.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided apparatus for use as a safety device comprising a carrier for a sheet of material which can be stored as a roll on the carrier, means for connecting the carrier to a structure, an attachment for an end of the material, means for fixing the attachment to a further structure at a position spaced from the carrier, and means for placing the material in tension when it is stretched between the carrier and said attachment.

The material can thus be stretched horizontally across the interior of a building or other structure, for example, below a roof, to catch any object falling from the roof.

Preferably, the carrier is mounted on a rail which is fixed to the structure and extending laterally of the direction in which the sheet of material is stretched in tension. The attachment for the end of the material is also preferably mounted on a parallel rail fixed to the other structure.

The sheet can therefore be moved along the length of a building or other structure, as required, without the need for dismantling on each occasion.

Conveniently, the carrier is a housing for enclosing a roll of the sheet material, the housing being slideably engaged on the rail which extends parallel to the axis of the roll.

Tension means may be spring means in the housing of the carrier and arranged to apply a torque force to the roll tending to wind the material into the said roll.

The sheet material may be a continuous sheet of plastics, fabric or other material, or a net.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a building structure to which apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention has been fitted; Figure 2 is a side view of the building in Figure i; and Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a carrier assembly forming part of the apparatus.

Figures 1 and 2 show a typical building structure such as the frame of a warehouse or other similar building. This includes uprights 10 and roof beams 11. The invention has particular application to larger building structures particularly those in which the building is long in relation to its width. Figure 2 shows only 3 uprights 10 but the invention can be applied to similar structures with a greater number of bays between the uprights.

A building of the kind shown is made up from metal girders which must be secured together by bolts or other fastenings and much of the work therefore needs to be carried on substantially above ground level. There exists therefore the risk that tools and materials may be dropped from the roof level thus endangering those below.

The invention therefore provides a sheet of material 12 which is stretched horizontally across the interior of the building structure at a position below the roof so as to be in position to catch any falling materials, tools or other objects.

The sheet of material 12 is supported at one end by a carrier 13 which is also shown in Figure 3 and at the other end by an attachment 14.

Referring to Figure 3 this shows the carrier assembly which comprises a housing 15 which is of a size large enough to enclose the sheet material when in a rolled up form. This is rolled onto a spool 16 journalled on a shaft 17 which in turn is mounted in the housing 15. A slot 18 in the wall of the housing 15 serves as an outlet and guide for the sheet material 12 and extends substantially over the full width of the housing 15.

The housing is mounted on an upright 10 or other fixed portion of the building structure by means of a rail assembly as shown in Figure 3. This includes a lipped channel member 19 secured to the back wall of the housing 15. Fastened by bolts 20 to the upright 10 is a pressed rail 21 which extends horizontally and lengthwise of the building and is substantially longer than the length of the housing 15. Typically, this rail 21 extends from end to end of the building whereas the housing has a width equal to that of one bay between adjacent uprights 10.

Within the channel 19 are carried upper and lower sets of rollers 22, 23 engaging with upper and lower horizontal flat surfaces of the rail 21.

It is therefore possible to slide the housing lengthwise of the building along the rail 21.

The attachment 14 comprises a bar or other member to which the free end of the sheet material 12 can be removably attached. Appropriate hook formations or other clamping systems can be used.

The bar of the attachment member carries a lipped channel similar to the lipped channel 19 shown in Figure 3 and within this are rollers equivalent to the rollers 22 and 23. Attached to the building structure is a further rail equivalent to the rail 21. It is therefore possible for the attachment member 14 to be moved lengthwise of the building in a manner similar to the sliding movement of the housing 15.

In use, the carrier 13 and attachment 14 are moved lengthwise of the building so as to take up positions opposite one another and the sheet material 12 is then stretched between them. The whole assembly can be moved lengthwise of the building or, alternatively, the sheet material can be retracted within the housing prior to such movement. The apparatus may be temporarily installed in the building, for example during construction work, or it may be used during the construction and left in place so as to be available for use when reconstruction or repair work is carried out on the roof.

In order to apply tension to the sheet material 12 when in its stretched condition, spring means may be incorporated between the spool 16 and the housing 15 to apply a torsion force to the spool in a direction tending to roll the material onto the spool.

Various types of material can be used including plastics, fabric or combinations of these or net. Opaque or translucent materials can be used according to requirements.

Claims

1. A safety device for use in the construction of buildings, comprising a protective sheet mounted on a carrier for movement between an extended condition in which the protective sheet extends between the carrier and an attachment spaced from the carrier and a retracted condition in which the protective sheet is stored as a roll on the carrier, means for connecting the carrier to a first structure, means for connecting the attachment to a second structure spaced from the first structure, and means for placing the protective sheet in tension when it is extended between the carrier and the attachment.

2. A safety device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the carrier to the first structure includes a rail along which the carrier is slidable, the rail extending in a direction transverse to the direction in which the protective sheet can be extended and retracted.

3. A safety device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the means for connecting the attachment to the second structure includes a further rail along which the attachment is slidable, the further rail in use extending parallel to the first-mentioned rail.

4. A safety device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier comprises a shaft on which the protective sheet is stored as a roll when in a retracted condition and a housing for enclosing the protective sheet when stored as a roll on the shaft in said retracted condition.

5. A safety device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the means for placing the protective sheet in tension comprises spring means applying a torsional force to said shaft.

6. A safety device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A building undergoing construction and provided with a safety device according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. A building as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the safety device can be extended horizontally between the carrier and the attachment, below a part of the building still to be completed.

9. A building as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein the carrier is connected to a first part of the building which defines said first structure and the attachment is connected to a second part of the building which defines said second structure.