GB2303870A - Elevated support - Google Patents

Abstract

A barrier structure adapted for positioning a barrier (4) adjacent the lower region (2) of an elevated work location (3), the structure including a support unit (5) adapted to mount the actual barrier (4) and support assemblies (6) adapted to mount the support unit, said support assemblies (6) being adapted for erection and positioning such that a support unit (5) carried thereby is caused operationally to cooperate with said lower region (2) and position the barrier (4) at said region. The support assemblies (6) incorporate heights adjustable leg members (25,26) whose upper ends are adapted to provide support and connect with the barrier support unit (5), and are also adapted to provide adjustable wall abutment members (18) whereby the support assemblies (6) can be set so as to position the support unit (5) in such manner that the barrier (4) is generally vertical and is also located as close as possible to the 20 lower region (2) of said work location (3). The adjustable legs are provided with ground engaging foot members and two or more support assemblies may be coupled by a pair of braces (42). The vertical barriers (12) fit into upright support tubes (10) and the free ends receive a horizontal bar (14) from which hangs a wall forming screen (15).

Description

ELEVATED SUPPORT This invention relates to supports for facilitating the working safety and or working environment of persons working at elevated positions.

In particular, but not exclusively the present invention is concernediwith structures which provide barriers against persons/articles etc., falling from elevated positions relative to an adjacent reference location such as the ground.

In particular also, the present invention is concerned with the formation of barriers around the lower part the roof of a premises for the purposes of giving protection to any person who may be working upon the roof or in the vicinity thereof and/or at places above the level of the barrier.

It is well known that in many countries regulations demand that when persons are working at an elevated position i.e., upon a roof adequate protection is afforded to them in the event that they loose balance and commence to slide or otherwise fall from the roof. Such regulations frequently require the installation of what may be regarded as a fence at the base of the roof area or other elevated work location of such form as to be capable of stopping a person from falling from the roof.

It is well known to erect scaffolding structures including barriers for such purposes.

However, in practice, the erection and the subsequent dismantling of scaffolding calls for the time consuming employment of highly skilled and trained assemblers of scaffolding. This results in a very expensive installation with a great deal of time being required for the installation and dismantling operations. In situations where it is desired that operations should be carried out upon a roof or the like which operations involve progressively moving the working area around the roof the problems involved with the erection and dismantling of scaffolding as a result of everchanging work areas along the roof considerably increases the time required to complete required operations upon the roof and in many cases prevents the effective work requirements being met.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which facilitates the erection of roof/elevated position barriers without involving the use of traditional scaffolding.

Broadly, according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a barrier structure adapted for positioning a barrier adjacent the lower region of an elevated work location, the structure including a support unit adapted to mount the actual barrier and support assemblies adapted to mount the support unit, said support assemblies being adapted for erection and positioning such that a support unit carried thereby is caused operationally to cooperate with said lower region and position the barrier at said region.

Preferably, when said elevated work location is part of a roof of a building the support unit includes means for setting the position of the support unit relative to a wall or the like of the building in the vicinity of said roof work location.

Preferably, the support assemblies incorporate heightwise adjustable leg members whose upper ends are adapted supportingly to connect with the barrier support unit, and are also adapted to provide positionally adjustable wall abutment members whereby the support assemblies can be set so as to position the support unit in such manner that the barrier is generally vertical and is also located as close as possible to the lower region of said work location.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a support assembly for supporting a load, the assembly including a lengthwise adjustable support leg which is intended to be inclined in a first sense to the vertical when in a load carrying position, and a stay arrangement which is connected with the support leg as to give support to the leg when in its load carrying position, the stay being inclined in the opposite sense to any inclination of the support leg.

Preferably, both the leg and the stay are provided with ground/floor engaging foot members that are arranged to be respectively positionally adjustable relative to the associated leg and stay.

Preferably, two support asemblies are associated one with the other and are coupled in side-by-side arrangement.

Preferably the coupling is effected by bracing members.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how to carry the same into effect reference will now be made to the acompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of apparatus incorporating concepts of the invention; Figure 2 is detailed elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 when the latter is positioned in conjunction with the eaves of a roof of a building; Figure 3 schematically illustrates a modified application of apparatus involving the concepts of the invention; Figure 4 schematically illustrates a variation of the apparatus shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 schematically illustrates a further variation of the apparatus of Figure 3.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, in these Figures a fragment of a wall 1 and the eaves region 2 of a roof 3 of a building is schematically showm.

The apparatus of the invention includes a barrier 4 upstanding from a support 5 which is itself carried by main support assemblies 6. In the arrangement shown in the Figures 1 and 2, the support 5 is arranged horizontal and is supported by two of said assemblies 6, the latter being located one to each end of the support 5.

The support 5 includes two side by side main bars 7 and 8 which are maintained in the spaced apart relationship by cross pieces/bars 9 generally regularly spaced lengthwise of the bars 7 and 8.

Also at regularly spaced intervals of the main bars 7 and 8, uprights support tubes 10 are upstanding from further cross members 11 secured to the main bars. These tubes 10 are each intended to receive a barrier upright 12. The upper and thus free ends 13 of the barrier uprights 12 are adapted to receive ends of horizontal rails 14.

These horizontal rails 14 are used to carry wall forming screens 15 which effectively define a screen or barrier between each adjacent pair of uprights 12 the purpose of which is to prevent any person or article from falling therethrough.

The further cross members 11, as can be noted, are located at the underside of the main bars 7 and 8.

These cross members are of a hollow rectangular cross section and are intended telescopically to receive, at the ends 16 thereof that, when the apparatus is in use, face towards the wall 1 a rectangular bar 17 which carries at is free end a roller 18.

The relative positioning of the bar 17 with respect to the bar 11 is settable by aligning a selected one of a plurality of holes 19 in the movable bar 17 with a hole 20 in the tublular bar 11 and locking the bars 11,17 in the selected position by a retaining pin 21.

The purpose of this construction, as can be seen from Figure 2, is to enable differing amounts of eaves overhang with respect to the wall to be accommodated whilst at the same time ensuring that the barrier 4 is located as close as possible to the eaves 2 without resulting in any damage to guttering 22 which latter is now commonly formed from easily crushable plastics materials.

As has been mentioned the framework including the main bars 7 and 8 and the cross members 9,11 and the barrier construction 12,14 & 15 is carried as an assembled unit by the support assemblies 6.

Each such support assembly 6 includes two main leg units 23 and 24 each comprising two main leg members 25 and 26 which are relatively positionally adjustable relative to each other so as to enable selective variation of the overall length of the main leg units. The two members are arranged one against the other to provide inner and outer leg members 25 and 26. The inner leg member 25 is provided vith a series of through bores 27. Each such bore 27 is intended to be able to locate a retaining pin 28. The outer member 26 is coupled to the inner member 25 by lower and upper strap formations 29 and 30 which allow relative sliding movement between the members for the purposes of length adjustment.In practice, the members are relatively moved to obtain the required overall length for the unit 23/24 length and the pin 28 is then inserted in the nearest bore 27 to the underside of the lower strap 29.

Each leg unit 23/24 also includes a foot element 31 which is selectively positionally adjustable with respect to the inner leg member 25. The foot element 31 is located at the end of a leg 32 that is telescopically engageable with the lower end of the associated member 25 and is locked in relative position thereto by a pin 33 engaging a selected one of a series of bores 34 provided in the leg 32.

A rewardly directed stay 35 is connected to the inner leg member 25. The upper part of the stay 35 connects with the inner leg member. The stay 35 is positionally and angularly settable with respect to the inner leg member 25 by bracing bars 36 which connect at one end to the stay unit 35 and at their other ends to the leg member 25.

The bracing bars 36 are held in place by engagement of nuts and bolt or pin and clip connections 37, which in the case of the connections with the inner leg member make use of the bores 27 therein.

The shaping of the stay 35 is such that when the stay is fitted to the inner leg member 25 the lower end 38 of the stay bears down onto the floor/ground or other surface. A transverse foot member 39 is provided on the lower end of the stay 35 to augment the contact region between the stay and the floor/ground.

The stay 32 assists in ensuring the stability of the support assemblies and, in particular, affords substantial resistance to any forces/loads tending the displace the assembly from a position of ùse as indicated in Figure 2 and away from its erected setting.

The upper end of the outer leg member 26 is adapted for connection to a cross member 11 of the support 5 as is shown in Figure 2. As will be seen the upper end of the member 26 is firmly attached to the selected cross member 11.

The connection is also braced by a brace 40 the upper end of which connects to the cross member 11 at a point adjacent to the inner end thereof, and at its other end to the member 26.

The positioning of the brace 40 is such as to ensure that when the support assemblies are positioned with the appropriate leg unit length adjustment as shown in the Figures 1 and 2 the support 5 is set horizontal with the barrier 4 set to the is vertical.

The two leg units which are to form an assembly 6 are interconnected by cross brace bars 42 coupled to the two leg members 26 as shown in the Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 3 this illustrates the application of a support assembly 6 to the support of a horizontal support unit 46 which is intended to act as a walk-way which is positionable relative to a selected region of a wall and, in particular, as indicated in the Figure 3 a window 47. In the Figure 3, since the platform like support 46 overhangs the support legs 24 and 25 the braces 40 are effectively positionally reversed as may be noted from the Figure.

To enable the necessary access to the platform, the central horizontal rail 14 is moveable to allow such access. The rail is replaced after access to complete the barrier. As before, the screen 15 can be provided around the barrier.

For the purposes of access to the platform a ladder is conventionally used. This ladder 48 is shown in dashed lines.

To prevent tools or the like from falling from the platform a barrier board 49 extends lengthwise around the platform. At the point of platform access a section 50 of the barrier board may be lowered as indicated in the figure. Suitable ties are provided for retaining the section and/or ladder in its raised position.

The structure of the support assemblies of Figure 3 is similar to that discussed in relation to previous Figures so further description is not thought necessary.

Referring now to Figure 4 this illustrates a variation of the construction shown in Figure 3. As will be seen in the Figure 4 construction the walk-way platform 46 extends in the opposite sense to that of Figure 3. The purpose of the Figure 4 construction is to provide a platform 46 which overhangs the lower regions of a roof or similar structure 3 to enable access to work locations set back from the eaves/guttering 22. To facilitate the positioning of the platform 46 and to spread the weight of the platform over a wider region of the roof, elongate roof contact members 50 are provided on the bars 17. In practice, the bars 17 can be permanently secured to the bars 11. As shown in Figure 4 the platform is positioned to facilitate access to a dormer type window 51.

The construction of the support assemblies 6 is essentially the same as that'discussed in connection with Figures 1 and 3.

It is frequently necessary when working upon the roof of a building to be able freely to move around the corner region of the roof. Figure 5 schematically illustrates the provision and mounting of a corner walk-way platform system. As will be noted the platform comprises sections 46A and 46B arranged to provide a walk-way around the corner of the roof. The composite platform is supported by a support assembly of a construction similar to that discussed in relation to the previous Figures and a second support assembly similar to that of Figure 3 with the exception that one of the stays 35 has been replaced by an additional support leg 52 including inner and outer leg members 25 and 26. In addition, a stay 35 is not used.

However, the position of the support leg 52 is set with respect to the leg unit 23 by a brace arrangement 53.

The construction of the arrangement of Figure 5 is otherwise similar to that of Figure 3.

Claims (17)

1. A barrier structure adapted for positioning a barrier adjacent the lower region of an elevated work location, the structure including a support unit adapted to mount the actual barrier and support assemblies adapted to mount the support unit, said support assemblies being adapted for erection and positioning such that a support unit carried thereby is caused operationally to cooperate with said lower region and position the barrier at said lower region.

2. A barrier structure as claimed in claim 1, and wherein when said elevated work location is part of a roof of a building the support unit includes means for setting the position of the support unit relative to a wall or the like of the building in the vicinity of said roof work location.

3. A barrier structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and wherein the support assemblies incorporate heightwise adjustable leg members whose upper ends are adapted supportingly to connect with the barrier support unit, and are also adapted to provide positionally adjustable wall abutment members whereby the support assemblies can be set so as to position the support unit in such manner that the barrier is generally vertical and is also located as close as possible to the lower region of said work location.

4, A barrier structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, and wherein each support assembly includes a lengthwise adjustable support leg which is intended to be inclined in a first sense to the vertical when in a load carrying position, and a stay arrangement which is connected with the support leg as to give support to the leg when in its load carrying position, the stay being inclined in the opposite sense to any inclination of the support leg.

5 A barrier structure as claimed in claim 4, and wherein both the leg and the stay are provided with ground/floor engaging foot members that are arranged to be respectively positionally adjustable relative to the associated leg and stay.

6. A barrier structure as claimed in claim 5 or 6 and wherein two support asemblies are associated one with the other and are coupled in side-by-side arrangement.

7. A barrier structure as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the coupling is effected by bracing members.

8. A barrier structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 2 to 7, and wherein the support includes two side by side main bars which are maintained in the spaced apart relationship by cross members generally regularly spaced lengthwise of the bars.

9. A barrier structure as claimed in claim 8, and wherein at regularly spaced intervals of the main bars, uprights support tubes are upstanding from further cross members secured to the main bars, the support tubes being each intended to receive a barrier upright and wherein the upper and thus free ends of the barrier uprights are adapted to receive ends of horizontal rails.

10 A barrier structure as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the horizontal rails are used to carry wall forming screens which effectively define a screen or barrier between each adjacent pair of uprights the purpose of which is to prevent any person or article from falling therethrough.

11. A barrier structure as claimed in claim 10. snd wherein further cross members are located at the underside of the main bars., said further bars being of a hollow cross section and are intended telescopically to receive, at the ends thereof that, when the structure is in use, face towards the wall a rectangular bar which carries at is free end a roller the arrangement being such that the relative positioning of the bar with respect to the further bar associated therewith is settable by aligning a selected one of a plurality of holes in the movable bar with a hole in the further bar and locking the bars in the selected position by a retaining pin.

12. A barrier structure, constructed and arranged to operate substantyially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figure 3, Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A barrier structure support assembly for supporting a load, the assembly including a lengthwise adjustable support leg which is intended to be inclined in a first sense to the vertical when in a load carrying position, and a stay arrangement which is connected with the support leg as to give support to the leg when in its load carrying position, the stay being inclined in the opposite sense to any inclination of the support leg.

14. A barrier structure support assembly as claimed in claim 13, and wherein both the leg and the stay are provided with ground/floor engaging foot members that are arranged to be respectively positionally adjustable relative to the associated leg and stay.

15. A barrier structure support assembly as claimed in claim 13 or 14, and wherein two support assemblies are associated one with the other and are coupled in side-by-side arrangement.

16. A barrier structure support assembly as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the coupling is effected by bracing members.

17. A barrier support assembly constructed and arranged to operate substantyially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figure 3, Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.