NZ760119A - Post assembly for an edge protection system - Google Patents

Abstract

A post assembly (10) for an edge protection system for a building is described. The post assembly (10) includes an elongate post (12), an elongate brace member (14), and a pivot mechanism (18). The elongate brace member (14) is connected to the post (12) and is adapted to be secured to the purlins of a building. The pivot mechanism (18) is slidably connected to the post (12) and the brace member (14) is pivotally mounted to the post (12) by the pivot mechanism (18). of a building. The pivot mechanism (18) is slidably connected to the post (12) and the brace member (14) is pivotally mounted to the post (12) by the pivot mechanism (18).

Description

Post assembly for an edge protection system Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to guard rails for preventing falls on construction sites and in particular, relates to an edge protection system for temporary use during the installation of roofing on buildings.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Construction workers, builders and other technicians are often exposed to dangerous conditions when working on a building roof or other tall structure. Because the edge of the roof is typically elevated well above ground level, the risk of serious injury from falling from the edge of the roof is extreme and in most cases life threatening.

[0003] Temporary edge protection systems are typically used on construction sites to prevent workers from falling over the edge of a roof if they slip or fall. The temporary edge protection systems need to be able to absorb the impact of a worker falling without failing.

Regulatory bodies typically require the use of edge protection systems on construction sites and standards typically apply to the loads required to be sustained by the systems.

[0004] A typical edge protection system will usually include a plurality of vertical posts spaced along the edge of a roof supporting a number of horizontal railings. In order to meet the load requirements, each post is typically secured to the building at its base, as well as via a brace member that extends from the post to one or more purlins of the roof structure, where it is secured to the purlin, typically by way of a bracket and fastener.

[0005] When laying roof sheets during the construction or repair of a building, these brace members, which are initially secured to one or more of the purlins interfere with the laying of the roof sheets and one or more of the brace members may need to be removed in order to allow a sheet to be laid in place and secured to the purlins. The brace member then needs to be reattached in order to maintain the strength and integrity of the edge protection system.

[0006] Existing edge protection systems are complicated and time consuming to work with when laying roof sheeting.

[0007] There is a need to provide an edge protection system that is easier to operate than existing systems and facilitates the laying of roof sheeting. 2 Object of the Invention

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages, to meet the above need, or to provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention

[0009] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a post assembly for an edge protection system for a building, the post assembly comprising: an elongate post; an elongate brace member connected to the post, the brace member being adapted to be secured to the purlins of a building; a pivot mechanism slidably connected to the post; wherein the elongate brace member is pivotally mounted to the post by the pivot mechanism.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the post assembly is operable between a first configuration and a second configuration and wherein, in the second configuration, the brace member is both displaced longitudinally along the post and pivoted relative to the post when compared with the first configuration.

[0011] Preferably, the position of the brace member relative to the post is releasably lockable in one or both of the first configuration and second configuration.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the pivot mechanism comprises a base that is slidably connected to the post and a connector that is connected to the brace member and is pivotally connected to the base at a pivot point.

[0013] Preferably, the pivot mechanism is connected to a carriage that is mounted for sliding longitudinal movement along the post.

[0014] Further preferably, the post is provided with a number of rail supports for supporting transverse rail elements and wherein the carriage is a sleeve that is arranged on the post at a lower end and includes at least one longitudinal slot formed in the sleeve to allow part of the carriage to slide longitudinally past a lowest one of the rail supports.

[0015] Preferably, the pivot mechanism comprises a base that is slidably connected to the post and a connector that is connected to the brace member and is pivotally connected to the base at a pivot point. 3

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the post assembly further comprises a releasable fastener that is operable to selectively prevent or allow sliding movement of the brace member relative to the post.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the post assembly further comprises a releasable fastener that is operable to selectively prevent or allow pivotal movement of the brace member relative to the post.

[0018] Preferably, the post assembly further comprises one or more purlin brackets provided on the brace member.

[0019] Further preferably, the purlin brackets are slidable longitudinally along the brace member and are releasably securable to the brace member.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the pivot mechanism is pivotal through an angle of at least 30°.

[0021] Preferably, the angle of the brace member relative to the post in the second configuration is approximately 30°.

[0022] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an edge protection system for a building, comprising a plurality of the post assemblies described in the first aspect above and at least one rail element.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of specific example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Fig. 1 is an elevation view of a post assembly in a first configuration;

[0025] Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the post assembly depicted in Fig. 1;

[0026] Fig. 3 is a partial elevation view of the post assembly of Fig. 1 in a second configuration;

[0027] Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the post assembly in the configuration depicted in Fig. 3;

[0028] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a carriage component of the post assembly of Fig. 1 shown in isolation; and

[0029] Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 depict an alternative embodiment of the carriage component and post assembly. 4 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0030] A preferred embodiment of a post assembly 10 for an edge protection system 100 according to the present disclosure is depicted in Figs. 1 to 4. The edge protection system 100 includes a plurality of the post assemblies 10 and a plurality of rail elements 200.

The post assemblies 10 are each secured to a purlin of the roof frame along an edge of a building and rail elements 200 are supported by the post assemblies 10 to provide a guard rail edge protection system 100 extending along the edge of the building. The edge protection system 100 is designed to prevent workers from falling from the edge of the building while installing the roof sheeting onto the purlins.

[0031] Figs. 1 and 2 depict the post assembly 10 in a first configuration. The edge protection system 10 includes an elongate post 12, an elongate brace member 14, a carriage 16, and a pivot mechanism 18. The pivot mechanism 18 allows the brace member 14 to pivot relative to the post 12. The carriage 16 allows the pivot mechanism 18 and brace member 14 to slide relative to the post 12.

[0032] The elongate post 12 extends between a lower end 20 and an upper end 22. A series of D-shaped rail supports 24 are spaced along the length of the post 12. In the embodiment depicted, the post 12 has three D-shaped rail supports 24, but more or less may be provided depending on the application. The D-shaped rail supports 24 are sized to receive a rail element that extends transversely to the elongate post 12 in order to form a guard rail supported by a plurality of the posts 12. A releasable fastener 26 is associated with each rail support 24 to secure the rail element to the rail support 24 and lock it in place.

In the embodiment depicted, the releasable fasteners 26 are threaded clamping bolts but other similar or equivalent fastening mechanisms may be employed.

[0033] The elongate brace member 14 extends between a proximal end 40 and a distal end 42. A plurality of purlin brackets 44 are mounted for longitudinal sliding movement along the brace member 14. The purlin brackets 44 are each provided with a releasable fastener 46 to secure the purlin bracket 44 to the brace member 14. In the embodiment depicted, the releasable fasteners 46 are threaded clamping bolts but other similar or equivalent fastening mechanisms may be employed. The purlin brackets 44 each have at least one flange 48 extending transversely to the elongate brace member 14. In the embodiment depicted, each purlin bracket 44 has a pair of flanges 48 extending from the bottom of the purlin bracket 44 on opposite sides of the purlin bracket 44.

[0034] In order to secure the post assembly 10 to the building, the brace member 14 is placed on the purlins in a transverse direction adjacent to the edge of the building. The purlin brackets 44 are moved longitudinally along the brace member until they align with an underlying purlin. The purlin bracket 44 can then be secured to the purlin by way of a fastener such as a screw, clip, bolt, or other similar or equivalent fastening means, fastening the flanges 48 to the purlin. Typically, the brace member 14 is secured to two purlins via two purlin brackets 44. However, more or less purlin brackets may be used depending on the application and specific requirements. Securing the brace member 14 to the purlins secures the post assembly 10 in position on the building. Multiple spaced post assemblies 10 are secured in this way to support the rail elements for the edge protection system.

Typically, the post assemblies are installed at intervals of 2.4m but may be installed at other intervals depending on the application and specific requirements.

[0035] The carriage 16 is mounted on the post 12 to allow sliding movement of the carriage 16 relative to the post 12. The carriage 16 is slidable between a first position and a longitudinally spaced second position. In the embodiment depicted, the first position is shown in Figs 1 and 2 and the second position shown in Figs 3 and 4.

[0036] Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the carriage in isolation. In the embodiment depicted, the carriage 16 is a generally rectangular prismatic longitudinal sleeve with longitudinal slots 60 cut out opposing faces to allow part of the carriage 16 to slide past the lowest of the rail supports 24 and the corresponding fastener 26. A first carriage hole 62 and a longitudinally spaced second carriage hole 64 are provided in the carriage 16, each being sized to receive a carriage locking pin 66. A post hole 28, which is also sized to receive the carriage locking pin 66, is provided in the post 12. To arrange the carriage 16 in the first position, the carriage 16 is moved along the post 12 until the first carriage hole 62 is aligned with the post hole 28. The carriage locking pin 66 is then inserted via the first carriage hole 62 into the post hole 28 to lock the carriage 16 in the first position. To arrange the carriage 16 in the second position, the carriage 16 is moved along the post 12 until the second carriage hole 64 is aligned with the post hole 28. The carriage locking pin 66 is then inserted via the second carriage hole 64 into the post hole 28 to lock the carriage 16 in the second position. In other embodiments, various other mechanisms could be used to lock the carriage 16 in the first and second positions, such as spring-loaded studs instead of locking pins and other similar or equivalent mechanisms.

[0037] In one particularly preferred embodiment, the spacing between the first and second carriage holes is approximately 90mm. This ensures that the gap between the lowest rail element 200 sits between about 200mm and 250mm, as the law requires that the bottom rail element cannot be less than 150mm or more than 250mm higher than the roof surface. 6

[0038] The pivot mechanism 18 includes a base portion 80, which is integral with or secured to the carriage 16, and a connector 82, which is secured to the brace member 14.

In the embodiment depicted, the base portion 80 is mounted to the sleeve of the carriage 16, however in other embodiment the base portion may be integral with the carriage and/or form part of the carriage sleeve. The pivot mechanism 18 is operable between a first pivot configuration, depicted in Figs 1 and 2, and a second pivot configuration, depicted in Figs 3 and 4. The pivoting operation is performed by the connector 82, which is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the base portion 80 via pivot point 84 between a first position, in which the brace member 14 extends at a first angle θ to the post 12, and a second position, in which the brace member 14 extends at a second angle β to the post 12. In the embodiment depicted, the first angle θ is approximately 90° and the second angle β is approximately 30°, however these angles may vary depending on the application and specific requirements and these angles may be greater than or less than these preferred values.

[0039] In the embodiment depicted, pivot point 84 is a bolt extending through holes in both the base portion 80 and the connector 82, however other similar or equivalent pivot mechanisms, such as hinges or other pivot joints, could be used in other embodiments. In the embodiment depicted, the connector 82 includes two parallel plates secured to the proximal end 40 of the brace member 14. The plates of the connector 82 are arranged on either side of the base portion 80 and are secured in pivoting relationship to the base portion 80 by the pivot point 84.

[0040] First connector holes 86 and second connector holes 88 are provided in the connector 82, the first connector holes 86 being spaced the same radial distance from the pivot point 84 as the second connector holes 88 and each being sized to receive a pivot locking pin 90. A base hole 92, which is also sized to receive the pivot locking pin 90, is provided in the base portion 80. To arrange the connector 82 in the first position, the connector 82 is pivoted about the pivot point 84 until the first connector holes 86 are aligned with the base hole 92. The pivot locking pin 90 is then inserted via the first connector holes 86 into the base hole 92 to lock the connector 82 in the first position. To arrange the connector 82 in the second position, the pivot locking pin 90 is removed and the connector 82 is pivoted about the pivot point 84 until the second connector holes 88 are aligned with the base hole 92. The pivot locking pin 90 is then inserted via the second connector holes 88 into the base hole 92 to lock the connector 82 in the second position. In other embodiments, various other mechanisms could be used to lock the connector 82 in the 7 first and second positions, such as spring-loaded studs instead of locking pins and other similar or equivalent mechanisms.

[0041] An alternative embodiment of the carriage 16’ and post 12’ is depicted in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. In this embodiment, the carriage 16’ has only a single longitudinal slot 60 cut out of the inside face of the carriage 16’ and an opposing outside wall 65 with no longitudinal slot.

This provides greater strength and structural integrity to the carriage 16’ and allows it to be formed from a lighter material, such as aluminium, reducing the weight of the post assembly 10. However, the omission of a longitudinal slot on the outside wall 65 of the carriage 16’ creates a problem with the releasable fastener 26’ associated with the lowermost D-shaped rail support 24’. In order to allow the carriage 16’ to slide past the lowermost rail support 24’, the releasable fastener 26’ of the lowermost rail support 24’ is mounted through the lowermost rail support 24’ on the inside of the post 12’ rather than through the post itself. This allows the carriage 16’ to slide past the lowermost rail support 24’.

[0042] In operation, once a plurality of post assemblies 10, typically at least three, are installed on the building in the first configuration depicted in Figs 1 and 2 and the rail elements are secured in place, the edge protection system 100 is ready for use during the laying of roof sheeting. In this configuration, the carriage 16 is in the first position and the pivot mechanism is in the first pivot configuration. When a worker needs to lay a roof sheeting over in the location where a brace member 14 is secured to the purlins, the worker removes or releases the fasteners securing the flanges 48 to the purlins. The carriage locking pin 66 is removed from the first carriage hole 62 and post hole 28, allowing the worker to slide the carriage 16 upwards on the post 12 until the second carriage hole 64 aligns with the post hole 28. The carriage locking pin 66 is then inserted into the second carriage hole 64 and the post hole 28 to lock the carriage 16 in the second position. The pivot locking pin 90 is removed from the from the first connector hole 86 and the base hole 92, allowing the worker to pivot the brace member 14 upwardly about the pivot point 84, which raises the distal end 42 of the brace member 14, until the second connector hole is aligned with the base hole 92. The pivot locking pin 90 is then inserted into the second connector hole 88 and the base hole 92 to lock the connector 82 in the second position and the pivot mechanism 18 in the second configuration. This results to the post assembly 10 being in the second configuration depicted in Figs 3 and 4, which allows the worker to easily install the roof sheeting under the raised brace member 14. 8

[0043] Reversing the operation described above will return the post assembly 10 to the first configuration depicted in Figs 1 and 2. This allows the worker to resecure the brace member 14 to the purlins, however, this time with the purlin brackets 44 on top of the roof sheeting and the flanges 48 being fastened using fasteners passing through the roof sheeting and into the purlins. If the roof sheeting is very thin, then the brace member 14 can be resecured to purlins in the original first configuration. However, for typical thicker roof sheeting, e.g. including insulation sheets and other layers, the carriage 16 can instead be left in the second (elevated) position with the pivot mechanism 18 returned to the first position. The brace member 14 can then be secured to the purlins, through the roof sheeting, in the elevated second position. For further flexibility, the carriage 16 may be provided with one or more intermediate carriage holes located between the first and second carriage holes 62, 64 to optionally allow the brace member 14 to be secured at a range of different elevations, depending on the thickness of the roof sheeting.

[0044] By systematically working in this way along the edge of the building, the roof sheeting can be laid quickly and easily while maintaining sufficient strength and rigidity in the edge protection system to meet the necessary safety standards. The spacing of the post assemblies is calculated to ensure that the edge protection system remains sufficiently robust with the middle one of three consecutive post assemblies detached from the building, i.e. that the two other adjacent post assemblies provide sufficient strength and rigidity to compensate for the middle post assembly being disconnected during laying of the roof sheeting in that location.

[0045] The post assemblies of the edge protection system described herein allow roof sheeting to be installed much more quickly, with less effort on the part of the worker, less risk involved to the worker, all of which greatly improves the efficiency of the operation, reduces the risk of injury, and provides a significant cost advantage to the operator.

[0046] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. A post assembly for an edge protection system for a building, the post assembly comprising: an elongate post; an elongate brace member connected to the post, the brace member being adapted to be secured to the purlins of a building; a pivot mechanism slidably connected to the post; wherein the elongate brace member is pivotally mounted to the post by the pivot mechanism.

2. The post assembly of claim 1, wherein the post assembly is operable between a first configuration and a second configuration and wherein, in the second configuration, the brace member is both displaced longitudinally along the post and pivoted relative to the post when compared with the first configuration.

3. The post assembly of claim 2, wherein the position of the brace member relative to the post is releasably lockable in one or both of the first configuration and second configuration.

4. The post assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pivot mechanism comprises a base that is slidably connected to the post and a connector that is connected to the brace member and is pivotally connected to the base at a pivot point.

5. The post assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pivot mechanism is connected to a carriage that is mounted for sliding longitudinal movement along the post.

6. The post assembly of claim 5, wherein the post is provided with a number of rail supports for supporting transverse rail elements and wherein the carriage is a sleeve that is arranged on the post at a lower end and includes at least one longitudinal slot formed in the sleeve to allow part of the carriage to slide longitudinally past a lowest one of the rail supports. 10

7. The post assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pivot mechanism comprises a base that is slidably connected to the post and a connector that is connected to the brace member and is pivotally connected to the base at a pivot point.

8. The post assembly of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a releasable fastener that is operable to selectively prevent or allow sliding movement of the brace member relative to the post.

9. The post assembly of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a releasable fastener that is operable to selectively prevent or allow pivotal movement of the brace member relative to the post.

10. The post assembly of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more purlin brackets provided on the brace member.

11. The post assembly of claim 9, wherein the purlin brackets are slidable longitudinally along the brace member and are releasably securable to the brace member.

12. The post assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pivot mechanism is pivotable through an angle of at least 30°.

13. The post assembly of claim 2, wherein the angle of the brace member relative to the post in the second configuration is approximately 30°.

14. An edge protection system for a building, comprising a plurality of the post assemblies according to any one of the preceding claims and at least one rail element.