GB2233696A - Safety barriers - Google Patents

Abstract

A safety barrier for an escalator or fixed stairway comprises an elongate arm (14) which is mounted in a housing (10). The arm is mounted so that it can pivot about a first axis between a stowed away position in which it forms a wall of the housing (10) and a generally upright position from which it can be pivoted to a further position in which it extends at least partly across a space for which it is to form a barrier. The arm can incorporate a flexible hinge (20) permitting it to pivot about the hinge in response to pressure applied to either side of the arm. <IMAGE>

Description

SAFETY BARRIERS This invention relates to safety barriers.

In particular in relates to safety barriers for use with escalators and fixed staircases which will hereinafter be referred to as stairways.

Safety barriers are commonly used to restrict access temporarily to stairways. Known safety barriers comprise a chain or reel of material which is extended across the entrance or exit of the stairway when it is required to restrict access to that stairway. A problem with such barriers is that they can represent hazard themselves. For example, if an incident occurs which requires emergency closing of a stairway by such a barrier, the barrier does not allow easy escape for passengers who may be trapped on the stairway. A further problem with the known barriers is that they are attached externally to the outer casing of the stairway and are therefore subject to theft and vandalism.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety barrier for use with stairways.

According to the present invention there is provided a saftey barrier which comprises an elongate arm and means mounting the elongate arm to a housing, said mounting means permitting said arm to pivot about a first axis between a stowed away position, wherein it forms a wall of said housing, and a generally upright position, said mounting means also permitting pivotal movement of said arm about a second axis between said upright position and a position in which, in use, the arm extends at least partially across a space for which it is to form a barrier. The arm may incorporate a resilient hinge permitting it to pivot about the hinge in response to pressure applied to either side of the arm.The arm may comprise two sections which are telescopically arranged, said sections being retracted in the stowed away position of said arm and being extended when the arm is pivoted to the position in which it acts as a barrier.

The mounting means may comprise a quadrant shaped member mounted within said housing, said arm being pivotally connected at one end to a planar edge of said quadrant shaped member. The mounting of the arm to the quadrant shaped member represents the first axis and the pivotal mounting of the quadrant shaped member within the housing defines said second axis.

~according to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a safety barrier comprising an arm movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which to extend at least partially across a space to be barred, said arm incorporates a resilient hinge permitting pivotal movement of the arm in response to pressure applied to either side of said arm.

The invention will be described now by way of example only, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a housing incorporating a safety barrier in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2A is a view illustrating the construction of the safety barrier; Figure 2B is a view similar to Figure 2A illustrating the safety barrier in an extended position; Figures 3A to 3C are schematic views illustrating the operation of the safety barrier; Figures 4 to 7 are perspective views also illustrating the operation; Figure 8 illustrates the operation of a spring hinge incorporated into the safety barrier; Figure 9 shows two safety barriers mounted for use with an escalator; Figure 10 is a schematic view of a locking device for use with a barrier in accordance with the present invention;; Figure 10a is a sectional view of the device of Figure 10; Figure 11 illustrates a lock used in the device of Figure 10; and Figure 12 shows an alternative from of locking device.

Referring to the drawings, a safety barrier is formed as part of a box-shaped housing 10 of rectangular cross-section. The housing is generally of depth D, but has a deeper section 11 towards one end thereof. The safety barrier includes an elongate arm 14 which, in one position thereof shown in Figure 1, forms a lid of the box-shaped housing 10. The arm 14 is pivotally mounted at 15 at one end thereof to a quadrant shaped member 16 which is carried within the deeper section 11 of the box 10 adjacent its end face 18. The upper planar edge of the quadrant shaped member 16 is cut away to leave upstanding lugs 17 between which the end of the arm 14 is pivotally mounted. The lugs 17 locate in cut out portions formed in the upper surface of the housing 10.The quadrant shaped member 16 is connected to a wall of the housing 10 by means of a pivotal connection 19 extending through the lug 17 which is at the junction of the planar edges of the member 16. In this way, when the arm 14 is raised from its closed position, shown in Figure 1, to a raised generally upright position, it can then be pivoted about the pivotal mounting 19 of the quadrant shaped member 16 as shown, for example, in Figure 6. This movement is in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the arm 14 is moved to its upright position. During this movement the curved edge of the quadrant shaped member moves through the cut out portion formed in the upper surface of the housing 10 so that the member 16 projects above the box.

The arm 14 also incorporates a resilient or spring hinge 20 towards its pivotal connection to the quadrant shaped member. This allows the arm when extended to pivot about the hinge 20 as shown in Figure 8 out of the plane containing the member 16. At its opposite end the arm 14 has a securing element 22 permitting it to be secured in its stowed away position in which it forms the lid of the housing.

As shown in Figures 2A and 2B the arm is formed of two planar portions each of generally rectangular shape. One planar portion, shown as 14a in Figure, has mounted thereon a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending rods 23. These rods form guide rails along which the other element of the arm, namely 14b, can slide between a retracted position, shown in Figure 2A, and an extended position, shown in Figure 2B.- As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 5, the interior of the box-shaped housing 10 accommodates an element 28 on which the arm 14 rests when it is in its closed position. The element 28 is desiged to exert a slight upward pressure on the arm 14 so that when the securing means 22 is released the arm automatically pivots upwardly a small amount, thereby making it relatively easy to grasp and pivot upwardly.

Figure 1 to 7 illustrate the safety barrier as incorporated in a housing 10. It will be appreciated that the housing 10 will itself normally be incorporated as part of the balustrade of, for example, an escalator. A typical installation is illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings. In this installation two safety barriers of the type described above are mounted one on each side of the escalator and the two cooperate to form a complete barrier. The housing means 10 can be seen to form part of the structure defining the balustrade of the escalator.

In use of the present safety barrier its normal position is that illustrated in Figure 1, i.e.

in stdwedaway position. When it is required to move the barrier to a position in which it can act as a barrier across, for example, the entrance or exit to an escalator, the securing means 22 is first released and the arm raised manually to its upright position by pivoting it about its connection 15 with the quadrant shaped member 16 as illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and 5. Once it has reached this upright position the arm is then pivoted about a second axis defined by the pivotal mounting 19 of the quadrant shaped member within its housing 10, so that it moves, as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 to a generally horizontal position in which it projects in a plane extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing 10.Once it is in this position the portion 14b of the arm 14 can be extended telescopically, as shown in Figure 2B of the drawings.

In an installation of the type shown in Figure 9, it will be appreciated that this operation is carried out for each of the barriers located on opposite sides of the escalator. The two arms of the barriers project across the escalator entry or exit and meet at its centre. If an emergency arises when the barrier is in its operative position the spring type hinges 20 allow the arms 14 to give under pressure, thereby enabling rapid clearance of the escalator even though the safety barrier is in its barring position. The housing 10 and arm 14 can all be constructed of robust material such as aluminium. This permits the material to be anodised to match the balustrade colour scheme.

The spring hinge will typically be a rubber spring of the metalastic type, which will not present any significant fire hazard. It will be appreciated that the robust construction of the safety barrier results in it being relatively resistant to vandalism.

If required the juxtaposed ends of the extended arms 14 shown in Figure 9 can be secured for example by a suitable locking device.

One example of a locking device is shown in Figures 10 and 11. The device is generally rectangular and comprises two spaced planar members 30, 31 joined at their upper edge to portions by a strip 32 to thereby define an element of inverted U-form. Towards its lower edge the planar member 31 carries two locks 34 (only one shown). A locking. pin 36 can project from each lock to engage a slot 37 in the planar member 30.

In use the locking device is placed over the juxtaposed ends of the extended arms 14 so that the arms are sandwiched between the planar members 30 and 31. Each lock 34 is then operated to cause the pins 36 to project between the lower edge of the arms 14 and thus secure the locking device in position hence locking the barrier.

An alternative locking device is shown in Figure 12. The device comprises two elements 40, 41 each of inverted U-form. These are located over the juxtaposed ends of the arms 14 so that the junction of the elements correspond to the junction of the arms. A relatively strong magnet 42 is located against a face of the adjoining elements 40, 41 to hold them together. This type of device will release if sufficient force is applied to the barrier to overcome the magnetic forces.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A safety barrier which comprises an elongate arm and means mounting the elongate arm to a housing, said mounting means permitting said arm to pivot about a first axis between a stowed away position, wherein it forms a wall of said housing, and a generally upright position, said mounting means also permitting pivotal movement of said arm about a second axis between said upright position and a position in which, in use, the arm extends at least partially across a space for which it is to form a barrier.

2. A safety barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm incorporates a resilient hinge permitting it to pivot about the hinge in response to pressure applied to either side of the arm.

3. A safety barrier as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the arm comprises two sections which are telescopically arranged, said sections being retracted in the stowed away position of said arm and being extended when the arm is pivoted to the position in which it acts as a barrier.

4. A safety barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting means comprise a quadrant shaped member mounted within said housing, said arm being pivotally connected at one end to a planar edge of said quadrant shaped member.

5. A safety barrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mounting of the arm to the quadrant shaped member represents the first axis and the pivotal mounting of the quadrant shaped member within the housing defines said second axis.

6. A safety barrier comprising an arm movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which to extend at least partially across a space to be barred, said arm incorporates a resilient hinge permitting pivotal movement of the arm in response to pressure applied to either side of said arm.

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