Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I I
CA 2821307 2017-04-24
SYSTEM AND COMPONENTS FOR SAFELY ENCLOSING HANDRAILS, STAIRWAYS,
WALKWAYS AND PLATFORMS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to safety barriers. In a particular form the
present invention relates systems
and components for safely enclosing substantially open barriers such as
handrails, stairways walkways,
and platforms.
BACKGROUND
Safety barriers such as guardrails, handrails, walkways, and platforms are
found in a large variety of
industrial commercial, residential and public sites. They arc typically
located at the edge of walkways,
stairs, or platforms where they are used to prevent falls, limit access to
potentially unsafe or dangerous
areas, and/or to provide support or protection in uneven or potentially
slippery ground.
In particular Australian Standard AS1657-1192 relates to the design,
construction, and installation of
fixed platforms, walkways, stairways, and ladders which are intended to
provide means of safe access to
and safe working at places normally used by operating, inspection,
maintenance, and servicing personnel.
This standard defines guard railing as any structure to prevent persons from
falling off any platform,
walkway or landing. Handrails include rails to provide handhold on a platform,
walkway, stairway, or
step ladder and may form part of a guard railing. A walkway is passageway that
is either level or sloping
from the surrounding floor or level. It may be a continuous structure or steps
with landings and covers
inclinations in the range from 00 to 26.5'. A stairway is a sloping stepped
structure having not less than
three rises and having a slope within the range of 26.5 "to 45 degrees
inclusive. A platform is an area
provided for access or working, which is elevated above the surrounding floor
or level, and a landing is a
level area used to provide access to a stairway or ladder, or located at an
intermediate level in a system of
stairways or ladders.
A common type of guardrail or handrail system often found in public and
industrial sites uses an open
framework of horizontal, vertical or inclined pipes or tubes (which in cross
section may be circular,
square, rectangular, oval, etc) to support a handrail. However in some cases
such open systems do not
provide a sufficient barrier to prevent people, or carried objects such as
tools or products, from escaping
1
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
the confines of the handrail system. This can create hazards for both people
on the walkways, who can
slip out of, or may be forced to lean out over the handrail or through gaps
into potentially unsafe areas to
retrieve lost objects, as well as to persons below them who may be hit by
falling objects potentially
causing significant injury or even death depending upon the object dropped and
the height it is dropped
from. Further, many walkways, stairways and platforms in industrial or
commercial sites include floors
constructed of open grid mesh or grating, which provide little protection to
persons or equipment below
the floor from material (solid or liquid) spilled or dropped whilst being
carried across the floor.
=
There is thus a need to provide systems and components to at least partially
enclose open barrier systems,
or at least provide a useful alternative.
SUMMARY
According to a first aspect, there is provided a guarding system for enclosing
a substantially open
sidewall of a barrier system, the barrier system comprising a plurality of
support members each having a
predefmed profile, comprising:
a plurality of brackets for attachment to two or more of the plurality of
support members, each of
the plurality of brackets comprising:
a post engaging portion wherein the post engaging portion has an open
configuration to allow the
bracket to be removably clipped onto and retained around the post whilst in
the open configuration, and a
closed configuration to allow clamping of the post engaging portion to the
post;
a clamping portion comprising:
a first clamping portion; and
a second clamping portion wherein in the closed configuration the second
clamping
portion is brought towards the first clamping portion to clamp the bracket to
the post and are
fastened in the closed configuration by a first set of one or more fasteners
passing through
apertures in the first and second clamping portions; and
a mounting portion comprising a mounting plate to allow mounting of the guard
panel to the
bracket with a second set of one or more fasteners and a standoff arm for
spacing the mounting plate from
the post, wherein the standoff arm is orthogonal to the mounting plate; and
a plurality of guard panels for attachment to the plurality of brackets, to
enclose at least a portion
of the vertical space of the open sidewall.
In a further aspect the post engaging portion is located between the mounting
portion and the clamping
portion and comprises a profile matching at least a portion of the predefined
profile of the post to allow
clipping of the bracket to the post when in the open configuration and the
first and second clamping
portions extend from a first end and a second end of the post engaging portion
so that movement of the
first clamping portion towards the second clamping portion clamps the bracket
around the post to form
the closed configuration.
2
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
In a further aspect the post engaging portion comprises a clip portion having
a profile matching at least a
portion of the predefmed profile of the post to allow clipping of the bracket
to the post when in the open
configuration; and a moveable portion comprising a slot to allow the moveable
portion to be deformed to
allow the bracket to be reconfigured from the open configuration to the closed
configuration. In one
aspect the slot extends over an arc of 900, and the moveable portion is hand
deformable.
In a further aspect the mounting plate further comprises a plurality of
apertures to allow a guard panel to
be mounted at a range of locations and inclinations with respect to the plate.
In a further aspect the guard panels are mounted to extend continuously up
from the floor to a height
below the handrail sufficient to provide hand access to the handrail, so as to
substantially enclose side
wall of the barrier. In a further aspect the guard panels are formed from a
sheet comprising a plurality of
apertures. This assists in reducing the additional wind load on the structure.
According to a second aspect, there is provided a method of installing a
guarding system for enclosing a
substantially open sidewall of a barrier system comprising a plurality of
support members, the method
comprising the steps of:
obtaining a plurality of brackets according to the first aspect for attachment
to two or more of the
plurality of support members; and
obtaining at least one guard panel for attachment to the plurality of
brackets, to enclose at least a
portion of the vertical space of the open sidewall;
clipping at least one of the plurality of brackets to each of two or more of
the plurality of support
members;
for each of the at least one brackets clipped to each of two or more of the
plurality of support
members:
moving one or more portions of the respective bracket to change the
configuration of the
bracket from the open configuration to the closed configuration; and
fastening the bracket in the closed configuration so as to clamp the bracket
to the
respective support member;
fastening one of the at least one guard panel to at least one bracket clamped
to two or more of the
plurality of support members.
According to a third aspect, there is provided a bracket for use in mounting a
guard panel to a post having
a predefined profile in an open barrier system so as to reduce the dropped
object hazard, comprising:
a post engaging portion wherein the post engaging portion has an open
configuration to allow the
bracket to be removably clipped onto and retained around the post whilst in
the open configuration, and a
closed configuration to allow clamping of the post engaging portion to the
post;
3
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
a clamping portion comprising:
a first clamping portion; and
a second clamping portion wherein in the closed configuration the second
clamping
portion is brought towards the first clamping portion to clamp the bracket to
the post and are
fastened in the closed configuration by a first set of one or more fasteners
passing through
apertures in the first and second clamping portions; and
a mounting portion comprising a mounting plate to allow mounting of the guard
panel to the
bracket with a second set of one or more fasteners and a standoff arm for
spacing the mounting plate from
the post, wherein the standoff arm is orthogonal to the mounting plate.
According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a flooring bracket for use in
mounting a floor sheet to
cover a grid mesh floor comprising at two support members having a predefmed
profile and pitch,
comprising:
an upper surface comprising:
two flange portions for engaging the upper surface of two adjacent support
members in a
grid mesh floor; and
a mounting portion to allow mounting of a sheet to the top surface of the
flooring
bracket;
two resilient arms for engaging adjacent support members, each arm connected
to the upper
surface and spaced apart by distance matching the gap between the interior
side faces of the adjacent
support members and each arm having a lower projection for resiliently
engaging the lower surface of the
respective support member so that in use the flooring bracket is retained by
engaging the upper and lower
surfaces of adjacent support members.
According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a flooring bracket for use in
mounting a floor sheet to cover
a grid mesh floor comprising at two support members having a predefmed profile
and pitch spacing,
comprising:
an upper surface comprising a mounting portion for mounting a floor sheet, and
at least one
flange portion with a width less than the predefined pitch spacing;
a lower channel portion, comprising a bottom surface and two opposite site
walls, wherein the
opposite sidewalls comprise alternate cut away portions located at opposite
ends of the channel; and
a fastener which passes though an aperture in the upper surface and an
aperture in the bottom
surface of the lower channel portion, and having a shaft portion joining the
upper surface, wherein in use,
the flooring bracket is inserted between adjacent load bars of the grid mesh
floor such that the at least on
flange portion is located between adjacent load bars, and the side walls of
the lower channel portion are at
a position above the bottom edge of a load bar and the lower channel portions
are a position below the
bottom edge of the load bar, and rotating the fastener causes the channel
portion to move upwards and
engage with the bottom edge of the load bars to lock the flooring bracket to
the grid mesh floor.
4
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126
PCT/AU2011/001622
According to a sixth aspect, there is provided a step guard for enclosing a
vertical space of predefined
dimensions between consecutive grid mesh steps, comprising:
a first set of tongue and grooves along a first horizontal edge for engagement
with a first step;
a second set of tongue and grooves along the opposite horizontal edge for
engagement with a .
second step adjacent; and
a riser plate joining the first and second set of tongue and grooves,
wherein the spacing of the tongues in the first and second set are based on
the spacing of
crossbars in the grid mesh steps, and the first set of tongue and grooves are
offset with respect to the
second set of tongue to accommodate a range of distances between the edge of a
step and the first cross
bar in the step.
According to an seventh aspect, there is provided a step guard for enclosing a
vertical space of predefmed
dimensions between an upper grid mesh step and lower grid mesh step,
comprising:
a first set of tongue and grooves along a lower horizontal edge for engagement
with the lower
step;
a nosing for engaging with the front and upper edge of the upper step; and
a riser plate joining the first set of tongue and grooves and the nosing and
which encloses the
vertical gap between the upper and lower step,
wherein the spacing of the tongues is based on the spacing of crossbars in the
grid mesh steps.
According to an eighth aspect, there is provided a step guard for enclosing a
vertical space of predefmed
dimensions between an upper grid mesh step and lower grid mesh step,
comprising:
a riser plate which encloses the vertical gap between the upper and lower
step; and
a stair plate, for at least partially covering and reducing the size of the
gaps between grid mesh
elements in either the upper or lower step and comprising a stair tread for
engaging with the front and
upper edge of the step.
According to an ninth aspect, there is provided a dropped object prevention
system for a guardrail, the
guardrail comprising a plurality of support members each having a predefined
profile and a floor,
comprising:
a plurality of brackets for attachment to two or more of the plurality of
support members and for
mounting a guard panel, each bracket comprising a post engaging portion to
allow the bracket to be
clipped onto and retained about a support member from above the floor and
within the guardrail prior to
clamping, and then subsequently clamped around the support member, and a
mounting portion
comprising a mounting plate to allow mounting of the guard panel to the
bracket, and a standoff arm for
spacing the mounting plate from the post
5
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
a plurality of guard panels for attachment to the plurality of brackets to
enclose at least a portion
of a vertical space of an open sidewall of the guardrail, wherein each guard
panel is mounted to the
mounting portion of at least one bracket, and in use is mounted from above the
floor and within the guard
rail.
The system of the first or ninth aspect may further comprise the flooring
bracket of the fifth or sixth
aspect, and/or the step guard of the sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Illustrative embodiments will be discussed with reference to the accompanying
figures wherein:
Figures lA to 1E illustrate various views of a walkway with a guarding system
according to an
embodiment;
Figure 2A is an isometric view of a bracket in an open configuration for
clipping onto a support post
according to an embodiment;
Figure 2B is an isometric view of the bracket of Figure 2A in a closed
configuration;
Figure 2C is a top view of the bracket in Figure 2A;
Figure 2D is a top view of the bracket in Figure 2B;
Figure 2E is a flat pattern for constructing the bracket of Figure 2A;
Figure 2F is an isometric view of another embodiment bracket in an open
configuration for clipping onto
a support post;
Figure 2G is top view of the bracket in Figure 2F;
Figure 2H is top view of the bracket in Figure 2F in the closed configuration;
Figure 21 is a top view of a washer plate for use with the brackets
illustrated in Figures 2A to 2H;
Figure 2J is an isometric view of another, embodiment of a washer plate for
use with the brackets
illustrated in Figures 2A to 2H;
Figure 3A illustrates a side view of a stairway which has been enclosed using
an inclined guard panel
according to an embodiment;
Figure 3B is a close up view of the attachment of a bracket to the inclined
guard panel illustrated in
Figure 3A;
Figure 3C is a close up view of the attachment of a bracket to the inclined
guard panel illustrated in
Figure 3A from the inside illustrating the use of the washer plate shown in
Figure 21;
Figure 4A is an isometric view of the bracket of Figure 2A clipped around a
post;
Figure 4B and 4C are isometric views of the bracket of Figure 2A clamped to a
post and with a guard
panel mounted;
Figure 4D is an isometric view a corner section of a platform with mesh guard
panels and corner joiners
according to an embodiment;
Figure 4E is a close up view of Figure 4D;
Figure 5A to 5D illustrates another embodiment of a bracket and a method of
installing the bracket;
6
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of a bracket;
Figure 7 illustrates another embodiment of a bracket;
Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment of a bracket;
Figures 9A and 9B illustrate isometric, and side views of a pair of adjacent
grid mesh steps;
Figure 9C illustrates a top view of one of the steps shown in Figure 9A;
Figure 10 illustrates the arrangement and spacing of load and cross bars in
grid mesh floor;
Figure 11A is an isometric view of an embodiment of a flooring bracket for
mounting a floor sheet to a
grid mesh floor;
Figures 11B to 11D illustrate orthographic views of the flooring bracket of
Figure 11A;
Figure 12A is a side view of the flooring bracket of Figure 11A inserted into
the grate of Figure 10;
Figure 12B is a top view of the flooring bracket of Figure 11A inserted into
the grate of Figure 10;
Figures 13A to 13F illustrate isometric views of the method of installation of
floor brackets and mounting
of a sheet to a grid mesh floor to cover the grid mesh floor according to an
embodiment;
Figure 14A and 1413 are isometric view of another embodiment of a flooring
bracket for mounting a floor
sheet to a grid mesh floor;
Figures 14C to 14E are orthographic views of the upper surface of the flooring
bracket of Figures 14A
and 14B;
Figures 14G to 14H are orthographic views of the lower channel portion of the
flooring bracket of Figures
14A and 14B;
Figures 15A to 15C illustrates isometric and side views of installation and
locking of the bracket of
Figures 14A to 14H into a grid mesh floor;
Figures 16A and 16B are an isometric view of a step guard, and stairway with a
fitted step guard
according to an embodiment;
Figures 17A and 17B are an isometric view of another embodiment of a step
guard, and a stairway fitted
with the step guard;
Figures 18A and 18B are an isometric view of another embodiment of a step
guard, and stairway fitted
=
with the step guard;
Figure 19A illustrates two wire mesh guard panelsjoined using splice brackets
according to an
embodiment;
Figure 19B illustrates wire mesh guard panels around a stairway joined using
splice brackets according to
an embodiment;
Figure 19C illustrates an isometric view of a splice bracket for joining two
wide mesh guard panels
illustrated in Figure 19A according to an embodiment;
Figure 19D illustrates an isometric view of a splice bracket for joining a
wide mesh guard panels to a
narrow mesh guard panel illustrated in Figure 19B according to an embodiment;
Figure 19E illustrates an isometric view of a splice bracket for joining two
narrow mesh guard panels
illustrated in Figure 19B according to an embodiment;
7
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
Figure 19G illustrates an isometric view of a splice bracket for joining a
narrow mesh to an inclined mesh
for a stairway illustrated in Figure 19B according to an embodiment;
Figures 20A to 20C illustrate isometric views of a rear bracket, narrow
bracket and wide bracket
respectively for the splice bracket shown in Figures 19A to 19F;
Figure 20D illustrates an isometric view of a U shaped end piece for the
splice bracket shown in Figure
19B and 19F for an inclined mesh guard panel;
Figure 20E illustrates a side view of the splice bracket shown in Figure 19A
to 19F; and
Figure 21A to 21D illustrates several isometric views of the washer plate of
Figure 2J in use to fasten
wire mesh guard panels;
In the following description, like reference characters designate like or
corresponding parts throughout
the figures.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
The system described herein includes three components used to enclose various
parts of open safety
barrier systems such as handrails, walkway, stairs, platforms, grid mesh
flooring etc. Such safety barriers
are typically substantially open structures include a coarse grid of support
(or structural) members with a
variety of large and small gaps between the support members. All three
components described herein may
be used together, or various combinations of the three, or each components may
be used separately or
independently of each other depending upon the requirements of the site, and
whether full or partial
enclosure is required. To assist in understanding the system, illustrative
embodiments of the system will
be described in relation to enclosing a walkway incorporating an open
handrail. Such open handrails
comprise vertical supports, referred to as stanchions, and horizontal middle
and upper rails at
approximately knee and waist heights above a walkway (which may also include a
kick plate). The first
component is a guard system comprising a bracket and guard panel for enclosing
the sides of open barrier
systems such as walkways, stairs, or the vertical space below a handrail. The
second component is a step
guard which provides a stair tread and back plate to fill in the vertical gap
(rise) between two stairs and
the third component is a flooring system for covering a grid mesh floor
comprising a floor bracket which
is inserted between the gaps in a grid mesh floor and secured in place, and
which includes a mounting
platform to allow sheeting to be laid over the grid mesh floor. These
components allow for safe and
efficient enclosing of handrails, stairways, walkways and elevated platforms.
A walkway enclosed using the above described embodiment is illustrated in
Figure 1A to 1E. Figure lA
shows an isometric view 110 of an unenclosed walkway and Figure 1B shows an
isometric view 120 of
the walkway enclosed according to an embodiment of the system. Figure IC is an
end view 130 of the
enclosed walkway illustrating the brackets, guard panels, floor brackets and
sheeting. Figures 1D and lE
are interior and exterior side views 140, 150 of walkway illustrating the
attachment of guard panel to the
support posts (marked 1D and lE on Figure 1C). As shown in Figures IC to 1E,
an upper and lower
8
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
bracket is clamped to each post to secure a guard panel. The guard panels 40
are mounted so that they rest
on or near the edge of the kick plate 72 and extend continuously upwards to
just below the handrail.
The guard panels 40 may be made of flat sheet without any apertures,
perforated sheet having a regular
array of apertures (as in Figures 1C and 1D), a mesh sheet (ie array of wires)
formed from a mesh, or
sheet with periodic or irregular apertures. Preferably the size of apertures
(or gaps) in the panel are chosen
so that they are small enough to prevent, or at least to significantly reduce
the risk, of dropped objects
falling through the apertures (or at least dropped objects, and in particular
tools, above a certain size).
Providing apertures or openings in the guard panel reduces the weight and will
also assist in minimising
the additional wind load on the structure or in reducing the additional wind
load compared to a flat sheet
with no apertures. This facilitates use in exposed or elevated locations
without excessively loading the
existing structure. That is any additional load is within allowed limits or
design specifications for the
structure so that retrofitting the system does not compromise the structural
integrity of existing structures.
Selection of the guard panels to use at a particular location in can be based
upon knowledge of the
expected winds at the location to ensure that fitting a panel will not create
an excessive wind load on the
structure. For example mesh arrangements, or sheets with a high proportion of
apertures will be preferred
in locations such as northern Australia which are subject to strong wind loads
as a result of tropical
storms and cyclones so as to minimise the additional wind load. In one
embodiment adjacent guard panels
have an overlapping portion 160 which extends over a distance of approximately
50mm to allow the two
panels to be fastened together using a plurality of fasteners 162 such as self
drilling or TEK screws, or
nuts and bolts. In some embodiments, the size of the apertures may be selected
so that they can act as
pilot holes for fasteners. If the overlap occurs over a post, a single set of
fasteners may be used to both
fasten overlapping panels and to attach the panels to the mounting portion of
the upper and lower
brackets. In other embodiments adjacent sheets may be joined at the edge using
a splice or joining plate
and appropriate fasteners, such as those illustrated in Figures 19A to 19F.
An embodiment of a suitable bracket 1 for safely mounting guard panels 40 to
posts such as stanchion 50,
handrails 60 and knee rails 61 which form a safety barrier is illustrated in
Figures 2A to 2E. The bracket 1
broadly includes a post engaging portion 10, a clamping portion 20 and a
mounting portion 30. The post
engaging portion has two configurations. The open or clipping configuration
allows the bracket to be
conveniently clipped onto the post where it will be retained (and grip the
post) so that the installer can
release the bracket and attend to other tasks without the bracket falling off
the post and representing a
hazard to person or equipment below, and a closed or clamping configuration in
which the post engaging
portion is clamped so that the bracket is tightly fixed or held in place
around the post so that it can be
used to support or mount a guard panel. Additionally the bracket allows the
installer to safely work within
the confines of the walkway without having to extend body parts or tools
beyond the support post. That
is the installer can work from above the floor and within the handrails so the
bracket does not become a
potential dropped object. The clamping portion may include a first clamping
portion and a second
9
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
clamping portion, wherein the first and second clamping portions are arranged
so that when the bracket is
in the closed configuration the second clamping portion is brought into
proximity with the first clamping
portion to allow the bracket to be clamped to the post using fasteners or
other means. The mounting
portion allows mounting of the guard panel to the bracket. This may be
provided in the form of a
mounting plate to which a guard panel may be mounted, or an aperture or flange
may be provided which
is received by a mounting portion on a guard panel.
In order for the bracket to clip on (or self-clamp) onto the bracket in the
open configuration, the bracket
must not deform plastically when applied to post. That is in order to maintain
clamping force after
placement, it must only be flexed over within its elastic zone and the angle
of wrap around the post
should exceed 1800 to ensure it will stay in the initial position is fitted.
The characteristics of elasticity
and springiness, and the angle of wrap largely determine the capability of the
bracket to clip on. Thus
varying materials, or thicknesses of materials or cross sectional profiles can
be chosen provided these
characteristics are retained. The cross sectional profile can be varied to
have stiff and flexible zones,
provided they are still working via elastic deformation and springiness (ie
they spring back) and the
contact (or contacts) span greater than 180 .
Figures 2 and 5 to 8 illustrate various views of embodiments of brackets for
use in mounting a guard
panel to post. Figure 2A illustrates an isometric view 201 of a bracket 1 in
an open configuration for
clipping the bracket onto such a post, and Figure 2B illustrates an isometric
view 202 of the bracket in a
closed or clamping configuration. Figures 2C and 2D show respective top views
203, 204 and Figure 2E
illustrates a flat pattern 205 of the bracket indicating required folds, and
cut outs and fmishing for
manufacturing the bracket from a flat strip. As would be understood by the
person skilled in the art the
dimensions and materials used may be varied according to the requirements of
the specific application.
The strip could be 316 stainless steel 1.2mm thick. However the bracket could
be constructed of any
suitable material such as other steels of the same or different thicknesses,
or other aluminium, alloys,
plastics (eg PVC, PVCU, uPVC, TPU, and other polymers),etc. The materials may
be coated, painted or
contain additives to provide desired properties such as resistance to
corrosion, chemicals, UV etc.
Selection of other materials should be based on ensuring suitable properties
such as strength and
resiliency to allow the bracket to be removably clipped onto posts and to
support guard panels, as well as
properties such as corrosion resistance ancVor UV resistance etc which make
them suitable for use in
industrial or outdoor environments. Another embodiment of this bracket is
shown in Figures 2F, 20 and
2H. Figures 21 and 2J illustrate a washer plate that may optionally be used
with the bracket.
Whilst in Figure 1 the bracket shown in Figures 2A to 2Eis attached to a
vertical cylindrical post used to
support a handrail (a stanchion). In one embodiment the post is constructed
from 250 grade steel having
an outer diameter of 48.3ttun or similar. However, it is to be understood that
the bracket could be adapted
to be fitted to any of the members forming the structure of the safety barrier
including posts, pipes,
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
tubing, handrails, knee rails, foot rails etc, having a range of cross
sectional profiles and which may be
vertical, horizontal, inclined, curved, etc, herein referred to as support
members. Further the system
provides flexibility in the location at which the bracket is fitted allowing
it to be fitted at a range of
heights and positions depending upon the requirements of the specific
installation. Further multiple
brackets may be fitted to different parts of a support structure to increase
the strength as required (for
example to meet wind load requirements).
The bracket 1 broadly includes a post engaging portion 10, a clamping portion
20 and a mounting portion
30. The bracket shown in Figure 2A is shown in the open configuration which
allows the bracket to be
conveniently clipped onto a post where it will be retained. The closed or
clamping configuration of the
bracket is illustrated in Figure 2B. In this embodiment the post engaging
portion includes a clip portion
12, and a movable portion 14 and the post engaging portion is constructed to
have sufficient elasticity to
allow the bracket to be removably clipped around the post. That is it does not
plastically deform when
clipped or snapped onto the post, allowing it to grip onto the post and
allowing re-use. The clip portion is
manufactured to have a profile matching at least a portion of profile of the
post so that it will engage and
grip (ie frictionally engage) the post whilst in the open configuration. For
example if the post is
cylindrical (eg 24.15mm radius or 48.3mm diameter), the clip portion may have
a constant radius
substantially equal to the radius of the post (eg 24.15mm). As illustrated in
Figure 4, in this embodiment
the clip portion spans an angle of 239.9 (90 +149.9 ). The angle of wrap (or
wrap angle) will however
depend upon the post the bracket is to be clipped onto need only be sufficient
to allow the bracket to clip
on and grip the post so that it will be retained around the post. Suitable
wrap angles are in excess of 1800
and more preferably in the range of 210 to 300 , and even more preferably in
the range of 220 to 260 .
The post engaging portion also includes a movable portion to provide an open
configuration to allow the
bracket to be clipped onto and retained around the post and a closed
configuration to allow clamping of
the bracket or post engaging portion to the post In this embodiment the
movable portion is a straight
section having an extended slot which spans the length of the section and
weakens the section to allow it
to be deformed by hand from the straight open configuration shown in Figure 2A
to the closed
configuration shown in Figure 2B. In this embodiment the width of the slot is
approximately 30% of the
width of the bracket. However other variations may be used such as from 70% to
100% of the length and
10% to 60% of the width. In the closed configuration the moveable portion
extends over an angle of
120.1 and matches the profile of the portion of the post contacted or engaged
by the moveable portion.
In one embodiment the slot extends over an arc of at least 90 to provide a
sufficiently large opening so
that the post engaging portion of the bracket is not required to significantly
bend to receive the post to
which the bracket is being clipped (that is to ensure the bracket does not
deform when being applied). The
length of the slot may be selected based on the strength of the material used
to form the bracket. Further
in the case that the post varies from the nominal dimensions, the slot enables
hand tightening of the
bracket to the bracket to clip onto and grip the post in the desired
position, prior to clamping. In
11
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
another embodiment the bracket could be formed of two or more members and a
hinge provided between
the clip portion and the moveable portion. In this embodiment the moveable
portion could be shaped to
match the profile of the portion of the post will be contacted or engaged when
in the close configuration
so that no deformation of the shape of the movable portion is required.
Various additional stiffening
elements may be added to the post engaging portion increase the strength as
required to ensure the bracket
can support the panel when subjected to wind, impact or other loads.
As shown in Figure 2C, when in the open configuration the bracket has an
opening formed between the
start of the clip portion (where it meets the clamping portion) and the
moveable portion, and has a width
less than the outer diameter of the pole the bracket is to be attached too to
provide a snap fit. For example
with a 48.3mm diameter post the width may be 38mm, and for a 33.7mm diameter
post the width may be
28mm. Preferably the width is in the range of 60% to 90% of the diameter, and
even more preferably the
width is in the range 75% to 85%. In this embodiment the bracket is
constructed of 1.2mm thick 316
Stainless Steel which has sufficient elasticity to allow the bracket to be
removably clipped around the
post, and will exhibit sufficient gripping force to retain the bracket when in
the open configuration. That
is as the bracket is placed around the post the moveable portion is pushed
outwards away from the start of
the clip portion, until the moveable portion and/or the post engaging portion
can resiliently spring (or
snap) back to encompass and retain the bracket around the post. This allows an
installer to clip the
bracket onto the post and then release the bracket without fear of it falling
off. This also frees up the
installer to perform other tasks, such as obtain a tool to fasten the bracket
in place or to select another
bracket to clip onto the same or another post. This is illustrated in Figure
4A which is an isometric view
401 of the bracket of Figure 2F clipped around a post. It will further be
appreciated that the moveable
portion and the clamping portion act as guides (or guide rails) to facilitate
clipping of the bracket around
the post.
The clamping portion 22 includes a first clamping portion 22 connected to one
end of the clip portion 22
of the post engaging portion 20 and a second clamping portion 20 connected to
one end of the movable
portion 24 of the post engaging portion 20. The second clamping portion is
arranged so that when the
movable portion is in the closed configuration, the second clamping portion is
brought towards or in close
proximity with the first clamping portion (for example a 1-2mm gap). This then
allows the post engaging
portion and thus the bracket to be clamped to the post and so provide a
structurally rigid connection both
before and after panel installation. A range of fasteners may be used. In the
embodiment illustrated in
Figures 2A and 2B the first and second clamping portion each include matching
apertures 23 25. A bolt
may then be placed through both apertures, and fastened in place using a nut.
In another embodiment the
apertures could be threaded and a screw fastener used to bring the portions
together. Alternatively no
apertures could be provided and the two clamping sections could screwed
together using self drilling or
TF,K screws, be externally clamped, or even welded together if the bracket was
installed at a site where
such hot work would not give rise to safety concerns. In the embodiments
provided in Figures 2F to 2H,
12
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
two apertures 23a, 23b, 25a, 25b are provided in each of the first clamping
portion 22 and the second
clamping portion 24. These are provided at opposite ends (le near the post
engaging portion end and the
mounting portion end).
A mounting portion 30 is attached to the clamping portion 20 to allow mounting
of the guard panel to the
bracket at a panel offset distance 26 from the centre of the post or a stand
off distance 27 from the surface
of the post. In this embodiment the mounting portion includes a flat plate
which is attached to the other
end of the first clamping portion. Typically the guard panel is orientated in
a plane parallel to a plane
tangential to the cross section of the post, with the clamping portion acting
as a standoff arm to space the
post away from the guard panel. That is the radially directed standoff arm is
orthogonal (90 ) to the
mounting plate which is parallel to the guard panel. As shown in Figure 1, the
posts are often connected
to the outer sides of the walkway (and kick plate). Thus by providing a
standoff gap the guard panel can
be mounted against the edge of the walkway, or from within the walkway so that
the outwardly extending
flanged portion engages the top of the floor or kickplate to prevent a gap
between the edge of the panel
and the walkway. In other embodiments inclined arrangements are possible
provided the panel will still
be mounted in a plane parallel to a tangential plane. Further, as illustrated
in Figures 2A and 2B, the ends
of the mounting portion 30 and clamping portion 20 may include stiffening
flanges. In the embodiment
shown in Figures 2F to 2H, the mounting plate is formed from two overlapping
plate sections 35 36
which are formed at the ends of the two clamping portions 22 24 to provide
additional strength.
In the embodiment show in Figures 2A to 2E the mounting portion includes a
plate which includes a
plurality of apertures 32a to 32i which act as pilot holes for the fasteners.
A similar arrangement is
illustrated in Figures 2F to 2H. These apertures are arranged to allow the
guard panel to be mounted to
perforated plate in a range of locations and inclinations. An aperture free
section 34 is also provided in
front of the region the clamping fastener(s) will be located so that the
fastener(s) used to clamp the
bracket together (the first set of fasteners), and the fastener(s) used to
mount the panel to the bracket (the
second set of fasteners) do not interfere with each other. This clearance is
further illustrated in Figure 48
which is an isometric view 402 of the bracket of Figure 2F clamped to a post
and with a guard panel
mounted. In this figure the TEK screws are clear of each other. Figure 4C is
the reverse view 403.
Providing a plurality of apertures provides flexibility in mounting the panel
to the bracket. For example if
the apertures in the panel are large diameter, then the plurality of apertures
in the mounting portion
increase the likelihood that at least one of the apertures in the mounting
plate will be aligned over an
aperture free section of the perforated guard panel. Alternatively the
apertures in the guard panel may be
selected to be a size to act as pilot holes for the screw fasteners to be
used, and thus providing a plurality
of apertures in the mounting plate increase the likelihood that at least one
aperture in the guard panel will
align with one of the apertures in the mounting portion of the bracket.
Providing a plurality of apertures in
the mounting plate also allows the guard panel to be mounted to level ground
(platform or walkway),
13
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
inclined ground, or to stairs. This is further illustrated in Figures 3A, 3B
and 3C. Figure 3A illustrates a
side view 300 of a stairway which has been enclosed using an inclined
perforated guard panel 40. Figure
3B shows a close up view 301 of the attachment of a bracket to the inclined
guard panel illustrated in
Figure 3A and Figure 3B shows the close up view from within the walkway. The
apertures 32d and 32h
are located over flat sections between apertures 42 in the inclined guard
panel, and fasteners 84, 85 such
as a self drilling TEK screw have been inserted to fasten the bracket and
guard panel together.
To assist in fastening the panel to a bracket, or to fasten adjacent panels
together, a washer plate (or
button) as shown in Figure 21 may optionally used on the inner side of the
panel between the fastener and
the panel to assist with fastening of a panel to a bracket using two
fasteners. In this embodiment the a
washer plate 80 comprises two spaced apertures 81, 82 with spacing distance 83
each for receiving a
fastener such as a TEK screw. The spacing of the apertures in the washer plate
83 could be set to a
predefined spacing distance to match the spacing between at least two
apertures in the plurality of
apertures on the mounting plate of a bracket. Figure 3C illustrates the use of
a washer plate 80 for
fastening an inclined guard panel to a bracket. Further the arrangement or the
distribution of apertures in
the mounting plate may be arranged into two or more pairs which are arranged
to allow mounting of
guard panels in two or more predefined orientations such as horizontal and a
standard inclination used for
stairways. For example the apertures 32d to 32i may be used for a horizontal
panel, and apertures 32e to
32i used for a standard stairway (and the distance 32d to 32i equal to the
distance 32e to 32i which is
equal to the spacing distance 83 of apertures in the washer plate) This
enables the installer to quickly
determine the correct location for the first and second fastener depending
upon the orientation. Another
embodiment of a washer plate 90 is shown in Figure 2J which is designed for
use with wire mesh panels.
This washer plate has two rectangular apertures 91 and 92 which allow a range
of fastener spacings from
a minimum spacing 93 to a maximum spacing 94 to provide flexibility. The
washer plate further
comprises flat rectangular section 95 (containing the apertures 91 and 92),
and two flanged edges 96 97,
in this case along the long edge of the rectangular section 95.
In one embodiment the bracket shown in Figures 2A to 2E is for use with a
48.3mm diameter post and
has a width of 32mm, a clipping portion of length 101.5mm, a moveable portion
of length 50.25nun (so
the post engaging portion has a radius matching the diameter) with a slot 49mm
long by lOmm wide, a
16mm wide clamping portion, a 32mm wide mounting portion, and is manufactured
from 1.2mm thick
316 Stainless Steel. In another embodiment the bracket shown in Figures 2F to
2H is for use with a
48.3nun diameter post and has a width of 42mm, a clipping portion of length
101.5mm, a moveable
portion of length 50.25mm (so the post engaging portion has a radius matching
the diameter) with a slot
is 49imn long by 16mm wide, a 35nun wide clamping portion, a 24mm wide
mounting portion and is
manufactured from 1.2mm thick 316 Stainless Steel. In another embodiment the
bracket shown in
Figures 2F to 21-1 is for use with a 33.7mm diameter post and has a width of
42mm, a clipping portion of
length 70.3mm, a moveable portion of length 45.5mm (so the post engaging
portion has a radius
14
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
matching the diameter) with a slot is 45.5mm long by 20mm wide, a 43mm wide
clamping portion, a
22nun wide mounting portion and is manufactured from 1.2nun thick 316
Stainless Steel.
It is to be understood that the above described bracket represent embodiments
of the system and may be
varied and still provide the same functionality of a clipable bracket for
retrofitting of guard panels to open
barrier systems. Figures 5 to 8 illustrate various alternative embodiments of
the bracket. Figure 5
illustrates another embodiment of a bracket and a method of installing the
bracket 500. The bracket
includes a post engaging portion 10, a clamping portion 20 and a mounting
portion 30 for mounting a
guard panel 40 and is formed of a suitably resilient material such as plastic
or steel. The bracket
comprises two half sections 512 and 514 are joined along a section 16 leading
to the mounting portion.
This join could be formed through welding during construction of the bracket,
or performed in the field
using appropriate fasteners such as self drilling TEK screws or a nut and bolt
arrangement. Each of the
half sections has a profile which at least partially matches a post 50 (eg
stanchion) to which the bracket is
to be clipped around. The two ends 522 and 524 of the half sections are
flanged outward to leave an
opening for receiving the post.
The installation method includes a first step 502 of clipping a bracket onto a
post 50 by pushing the
opening of the bracket towards the post. At step 504 the outward flanges are
(resiliently) pushed outward
by engagement with the post, and once the flanges have passed the halfway
point (ie diameter) the
elasticity or resiliency of the bracket will force the flange sections towards
each other and thus act to clip
the bracket around the post into a clipping configuration. As described above,
slots could be provided in
the flange sections and/or the post engaging portions to weaken a section of
the bracket to facilitate
clipping of the bracket over or around the post. A clamping step 506 is
performed in which the two flange
portions (acting as first and second clamping portions) are moved, deformed or
otherwise brought
together and then fastened into a clamping configuration through the use of
fastener such as a nut 528 and
bolt 526. The clamping portions need not meet, or engage with each other
provided the fastener acts to
clamp the bracket around the post (eg the fastener may span the gap and act to
pull the two clamping
portions towards each other). The use of slots in the flanged sections
facilitates the movement of the
sections into the clamped configuration. Finally in a panel mounting step 508
a guard panel 40 is mounted
onto the mounting portion 30 of the bracket in the clamped configuration. This
may involve resting the
flanged portion at the bottom of the guard panel on or overlapping the edge of
the kick plate to ensure
there is no gap formed between the guard panel and the kicicplate. Then the
guard panel is fastened to the
brackets using fasteners such as one or more TEK screws, optionally using a
washer plate.
Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of bracket 600, shown in the open
configuration 602 and the
closed configuration 604. In this embodiment the bracket is formed from a
single piece of suitably elastic
resilient material such as plastic or steel. In the open configuration 602,
the overall shape of the post
engaging portion matches the profile or shape of the post 50 to which the
bracket is to be clipped. The
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
two ends of the bracket (the clamping portions) are outwardly flanged to
provide an opening in the
bracket to receive the post. These also act as guide rails to facilitate
clipping the bracket to the post. The
bracket is clipped in place by pushing the bracket around the post, so that
the post temporarily deflects the
two flange sections (and adjacent sections of the post engaging portions)
outwards. Once the bracket is
pushed over the halfway point the resiliency (springiness) of the material
will pull the bracket around the
post (ie snap back to the open configuration) and engage (ie grip) the post to
clip the bracket in place.
Additionally in this embodiment an (optional) compressive liner 660 is placed
between the post and the
bracket and lines at least a substantial portion of the inside surface of the
post engaging portion (eg the
clip portion of Figure 2A). This liner is made of a suitable compressive
material such as of rubber to
allow for expansion and contraction of the post and/or bracket, or differences
between the relative
expansion/contraction rates if not formed of the same material, or to account
for any irregularities (eg
bumps, projections, etc) in the profile of the post and/or bracket. The liner
reduces the inner diameter of
the bracket to a diameter less than the (expected) diameter of the post. Thus
when clipped on the liner will
compress to the actual diameter and thus grip onto the post (and will be
further compressed once
clamping is performed).
In this embodiment matching apertures are provided in the outwardly flanged
clamping portions so that
the clamping portions also act as a mounting portion. The guard panel 640
includes an orthogonal
mounting projection 644 including one or more apertures. Clamping and mounting
of the panel is
performed as a single operation. The mounting projection of the panel is
placed between the two
outwardly flanged portions, which are then moved towards each other so that
they are either side of the
mounting projection. The apertures in the clamping portions and the mounting
portion are aligned and a
bolt 626 is passed through the apertures and then fastened in place using a
nut 628. In an alternative
embodiment apertures need not be provided and a self drilling TEK screw could
be used as a fastener. In
another alternative embodiment a T shaped mount is used comprising a mounting
plate (2342) and an
orthogonal mounting projection (2344) which is placed between clamping arms
2326, 2328, which are
then clamped to secure the mount. A panel 40 is then mounted onto the mounting
plate 2342.
Figure 7 illustrates another embodiment of a bracket 700, shown in the open
configuration 702 and the
closed configuration 704. This bracket is another variant of the bracket shown
in Figure 6. In this case
the bracket is formed, or manufactured with a right angled mounting portion
730 which is located at an
angle with respect to the clamping portions, such as of 90 , when in the
clamped configuration. This
configuration allows the installer to perform the clamping operation to one
side of the post and then the
panel mounting operation in front of the post. This allows easier installation
as compared to the
embodiment shown in Figure 7 which may require the fastening to be performed
behind the post. This
embodiment also illustrates another embodiment in which the post engaging
portion further comprises a
compressive liner 760. The compressive liner includes a plurality of
projections or feet 762 which engage
16
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
with the post, and can thus compensate for variations in expansion or
irregularities in the shape of the
post.
Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment of a bracket 800 in the open
configuration 802 and the closed
configuration 804. In this embodiment the post engaging portion is provided in
two parts 812, 814 joined
by a hinge 813. The two post engaging portions have a shape or profile
designed to match the shape of
the post 50 to which the brackets is clipped around. The first post engaging
portion 812 spans at least
180 so that it may be clipped onto the post. The second post engaging portion
is then moved towards the
first post engaging portion to place the bracket in the clamping
configuration. In this embodiment the
clamping portion includes a first clamping portion 822 joined to the first
post engaging portion 812, and a
second clamping portion 824 joined to the second post engaging portion 814.
The mounting portion 830
is located at the end of the second clamping portion 824 (which acts as a
stand off arm) and is orientated
at 90 (ie orthogonal). In this embodiment the first clamping portion 822
includes an aperture 826 and
the second post engaging portion 844 includes a projection 828 which is
designed to pass through the
aperture 826 when the second post engaging portion is moved into the clamping
position. To clamp the
bracket in place, an aperture is provided in the projection 828 through which
a pin 829 is passed to retain
the bracket in the clamping position.
The above examples illustrate various alternative embodiments of the bracket.
These may be constructed
from flat strips of suitable materials such as 1.2mm thick 316 Stainless
Steel. The bracket is designed to
clip and grip onto posts of nominal (or standard) diameters. However due to
manufacturing variations the
inner diameter or profile of the bracket, may not always match the diameter or
profile of the post. If the
inner diameter of the bracket is too large compared to the diameter of the
post then their may be
insufficient frictional contact to ensure the bracket remains in place after
it is placed around the pole (ie it
may slip down). In this case the installer may simply have to squeeze the
bracket once fitted (ie adjust the
open configuration) to ensure that the bracket clips onto and is retained
around the post. This facilitates
clamping the bracket as the installer does not need to hold the bracket at the
desired height, and can
instead concentrate on installing the fastener to clamp the bracket, reducing
the risk of dropping the
fastener or tools when clamping the bracket. In a further embodiment, the
bracket is designed to have an
initial snap on configuration with a diameter larger than the nominal
diameter, but with a portion that
spans at least 180 and in which the opening is less than the nominal
diameter so that the bracket will
enclose the pipe, but not necessarily grip the pipe. This will allow the
bracket to be snapped on to the post
but also prevent the bracket from falling off the support. The bracket can
then be adjusted such as by hand
deformation to reduce the radius from the initial configuration to the open
clipping configuration so that it
will then grip the pipe in the desired position. The bracket can then be
clamped onto the post. In this case
installation would comprise snapping on the bracket, deforming the bracket to
the open configuration to
grip the post in the desired position, and then clamping the bracket in place.
17
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
To ensure there are no gaps between the wallcway/lcickboard and panel, and to
facilitate stacking of panels
and overlapping of panels, the upper and lower edges of the guard panels may
be bent to an angle under
900 to form upper flange section 42 and lower flange section 44. As shown in
Figure 1C, the panel may
be mounted so that the bent portions of the panel points towards the posts.
The panel may be mounted so
that the side wall of a handrail or walkway is substantially enclosed, such
that the side wall extends
continuously from the floor plate to a point just below the handrail
sufficient to provide clearance to
provide hand access to the handrail. This is further illustrated in Figure 1C,
in which the lower flange
portion 42 rests upon the top edge of a kick plate 72 which extends towards
the floor 70. Further these
flanges also act to stiffen the panels.
In another embodiment the sheet may be a flat sheet with holes or apertures
limited to a specific region of
the sheet. For example if the brackets and guard sheets are to be used on a
level walkway and it is desired
to mount the guard sheet at a specific height, the brackets could all be
mounted at the specific height on
the poles, and holes could be provided in a strip on the sheet only at the
appropriate height to ensure the
guard panel is to be mounted at the desired height. In another alternative
embodiment the guard panel
could be provided as a flat sheet with no holes, and holes drilled as
required. Alternatively the mounting
portion need not include apertures and these could be drilled as required or
self drilling TEK screws used
to fasten the guard panel to the mount.
Preferably the size of apertures (or gaps) in the panel are chosen so that
they are small enough to prevent,
or at least to significantly reduce the risk, of dropped objects falling
through the apertures (or at least
dropped objects, and in particular tools, above a certain size). Suitable
perforated sheets for use as guard
panels may be source from the Locker group which manufacture sheets with a
range of apertures sizes
(1.6mm to 9.5mm), patterns (circles, squares, diamonds, clubs, etc), % open
area (23 to 62%), and
materials (steel alloys, Aluminium, etc). For example stock sheet R07962 comes
in a standard size of
2440x140mm with holes of diameter 7.94nun, a pitch (hole spacing) of 9.55mm
and an open area 62%.
Alternatively P081116 from the Graham group may be used. Mesh sheets formed
from a regular array of
rods, wires or pipes characterised in having very high open area percentages
but small gap sizes (eg sides
with lengths from 5mm up to around 200mm or areas up to 40000mm2 ) can be used
for sites subject to
high wind loads (eg cyclonic). For example the mesh shown in Figures 19A and
19B is formed from
wires with apertures of dimensions 25min x 50mm or 25mmx 25nrun. Sheets
manufactured from
lightweight materials such as fine meshes, plastics, including UV stabilised
and corrosion resistant
plastics (eg PVC, PVCU, uPVC, TPU, and other polymers), wood, or other
materials could also be used.
These should have sufficient strength to resist impacts due to a dropped or
kicked object. As shown in
Figures 1D and 1E, adjacent guard panels may be overlapped by a short
distance, such as 50mm, and can
be fastened using self drilling or TEK screws. Other fastening arrangements
could be used, including
means that take advantage of any overlapping holes between the panels.
Alternatively adjacent panels
18
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
can be joined at the edge using a splice or joining plate and appropriate
fasteners, such as those illustrated
in Figures 19A to 19F and 20A to 20D.
A method for installing a guarding system to a handrail will now be outlined
with reference to Figures 1
and 2. Firstly a plurality of brackets are obtained and at least one bracket
in the open configuration 200 is
clipped onto and retained around two or more support posts 50 and or handrails
60. Then, for each
bracket clipped to a support post, moving one or more portions of the
respective bracket to change the
configuration of the bracket from the open configuration to the closed
configuration, and then fastening
the bracket in the closed configuration so as to clamp the bracket to the
respective support member. This
may be performed using a nut and bolt fastening arrangement or self drilling
TEK screw. Once at least .
one bracket has been clamped to two support members, a guard panel may be
fastened to the brackets.
Adjacent guard panels can then be fastened together. Figure 1C shows a side
view illustrating a guard
panel 40 attached to a bracket via mounting plate. In this embodiment the
guard panel is mounted so that
the lower flange 42 and upper flange 44 are directed towards the support post
50.
When installing the guarding system, the installer can add as many or as few
brackets as required based
upon the length of the section to be enclosed, weight of materials and
strength of the brackets. In one
embodiment the adjacent guard panels are each joined to each other,
effectively forming a continuous
panel. In this case a single bracket may only be required every third
stanchion (post) to support the
panels. For lighter panels this could be extended, and for heavier panels a
bracket could be clipped and
clamped to each post. Also the installer can choose the height at which to
place the bracket. These could
be alternated between high and low positions, or two (or more) brackets could
be fitted to each post at
high and low positions. Additionally rather than use a single panel which
extends from the floor to the
handrail, multiple independent panel strips could be mounted so as to
partially enclose the handrail.
Figure 1 shows a handrail in which a horizontal support pole is located at
approximately mid height. In
this case panel strips could be mounted in the gaps above and below this
support pole. Additionally
corner joiners may also be provided to allow plates meeting at a corner of a
platform to be joined. Figure
4D is an isometric view 403 of a corner section of a platform with mesh guard
panels 41 and corner
joiners 410, and Figure 4E shows a close up view 402 of a corner joiner 410.
The corners are joined using
a right angled bracket 412 which is located behind the mesh panels and extends
along the vertical edge (it
need not extend the full height). clamping brackets 1220 are placed on the
left and right mesh panels so
they each enclose one of the wires forming the left and right mesh panels, and
are then fastened (or
clamped) in place using fasteners 414 and 415.
Walkways, stairways, and platforms in many sites use grid mesh flooring. Grid
mesh is characterised by
closely spaced parallel load bars and more sparsely spaced intersecting cross
bars. Typically the gaps
between adjacent load bars and cross bars can be quite large allowing tools,
equipment and other material
(solid or liquids) to fall between the gaps. Additionally grid mesh stairs
often have large vertical gaps
19
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
between adjacent or successive stairs (or a stair and platform). Such gaps can
thus be a hazard for persons
or equipment below.
Figures 9a to 9c illustrate two successive grid mesh steps in side view 900
and isometric view 950, and a
top view of a single stair 940. The first or lower stair 910 includes an stair
tread or nosing 912 which if
the rounded or angled edge of the tread projecting over the riser and which is
fastened onto the edge of
the stair using vertical fasteners. The second or upper stair 930 similarly
includes a nosing 932. The two
steps are separated by a rise 920 which is the vertical height from the top of
one tread to the top of the
next. An overhang 94 is provided between the front edge of the upper stair and
the rear edge of the lower
stair (typically about 15mm). Each stair is comprised of a grid mesh
comprising load bars 914 running
parallel with the front edge of the step, and transverse cross bars 916
running front to back. The load bars
are typically closely spaced, such as with a 30mm separation (pitch) and the
cross bars are more widely
spaced, typically with about a 100mm separation (pitch). The offset 918
between the edge of the stair and
the first cross bar may be fixed distance, or may vary from step to step, or
from stairway to stairway, or
from site to site.
Figure 10 shows a top view 1000 of an embodiment of a grid mesh floor used in
walkways and platforms.
The grid mesh is a steel grating which includes load bars 1010 and cross bars
1020. A close up view 1030
further illustrates the spacing arrangement in more detail. A first load bar
1012 has a spacing 1016 of
30mm from second load bar 1014, and both load bars run between a first
crossbar 104 and a second
crossbar 1024 which have a spacing 1026 of 100mm. Side view 1040 illustrates
the two load bars 1012
and 1014. Each load bar has a depth 1042 of 32mm between upper surface 1044
and lower surface 1046.
Each load bar has a width of 5mm wide, thus defining an internal spacing 1018
between outer edges of
the load bars of 25mm based on a pitch of 30mm. It is to be understood that
such measurements are
indicative only, and that other embodiments may use other dimensions.
As discussed in some environments it may be desirable to enclose or reduce the
gaps in grid mesh
flooring and/or the vertical rise between successive steps in stairways to
provide full protection against a
dropped (or kicked) object falling from the walkway, stairs or platform.
Referring now to figures 11A to
11D there are shown various views of a first flooring bracket for use in
mounting a sheet above a grid
mesh floor or grating according to embodiments of the system. Figures 14A to
14HD illustrate an
alternative embodiment of a flooring bracket. In both embodiments the flooring
bracket is inserted into
gaps in the grid mesh flooring, and is secured in place. Flooring may then be
laid by attaching the flooring
to mounting platforms on the upper surface of the inserted and secured floor
brackets. Figures 16 to 18
illustrate various guard panels that may be used to cover the vertical (riser)
gap between the stairs, and
both the vertical gap and top surface of a stair according to embodiments of
the system. These
components of the system prevent or limit tools and materials from falling
through gaps in such floors or
stairs, and can safely be fitted whilst on the floor or stairway.
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
Figure 11A shows an isometric view 1101 of a flooring bracket 1100 for use in
mounting a floor sheet to
cover a grid mesh floor. Figures 11B to 11D show orthographic projections of
the flooring bracket
including top view 1102, side view 1103 and end view 1104. Figure 12A shows a
side view 1210 of the
__ bracket in use (ie inserted into the floor) with a floor panel 1220
fastened using fasteners 1232. Figure
12B is a top view 1220 of a floor panel which is mounted using 4 (hidden)
flooring brackets In this
embodiment the flooring bracket is constructed from 316 stainless steel 1.2nun
thick although other
materials (eg other metal alloys or plastics) and thicknesses may be used
depending upon the operational
requirements (eg required strength, corrosion resistance, etc). The flooring
bracket (or clip) includes an
__ upper surface 1110 which includes two flange portions 1112, 1114 which are
for engaging the upper
surface of two adjacent load bars (support members). These may be resilient to
take up variations in the
height of the cross bars. The upper surface also has a mounting portion 1116
to receive a fastener to allow
mounting of a sheet to the top surface of the flooring bracket. Two resilient
arms 114 1132 for engaging
adjacent support members extend down from the upper surface 1110. The two arms
are spaced apart 1140
__ by a distance approximately matching the gap 1018 between the interior side
faces of the adjacent support
members. Each arm has a lower projection 1124 1134 for resiliently engaging
the lower surface 1046 of
the respective support member so that in use the flooring bracket is retained
by engaging the upper 1044
and lower 1046 surfaces of adjacent support members. The resiliency of the
arms allows the bracket to
take up variation in distances between load bars.
To provide resiliency, the mounting portion includes a first aperture 1113 in
the form of a slot, and a
second aperture 1115 in the form of a slot. As can be seen in Figure 11B,
these slots are located in each
flange portion and are located above the space between adjacent support
members. The length of the slot
may be varied to control the amount of flex or resiliency in the flange
portions 1112 1114. As shown in
__ Figure 12A, the apertures are angled down so as to provide a take up space
1152 between the top of the
bracket and the flooring plate. The mounting portion 1116 in the upper surface
is a Vee shaped groove
centred on the centreline of the flooring bracket. This facilitates insertion
of the bracket into the space
between load bars by acting as a hinge or pivot to allow the arms to move
towards each other as they are
inserted, before resiliently springing back when the lower projections extend
past the lower surface of the
__ load bars. The groove also separates and spaces apart the two flange
portions 1112 1114, and also acts as
a stiffening rib.
The lower projection on each arm is an inclined plate section which outwardly
projects from the arm
towards the lower face of the respective support member. As can be seen in
Figure 12, wherein the two
__ lower projection of each arm subtend an angle of 30 . That is they are
inclined at an angle of 150 with
respect to the arm. The outermost edge of the projections 1126 1136 is aligned
with the outer edge of the
respective flange portion.
21
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
Side view 1210 of a flooring bracket inserted into grate is shown in Figure
12A. The inserted bracket
1100 is retained by adjacent load bars 1012 1014. The spacing 1140 of arms
1114 and 1132 matches the
internal spacing 1018 between inner edges of the load bars, whilst the spacing
1142 of the ends of the
projections 1126 1136, and flanges 1112, 1114 matches the pitch spacing 1016
of the load bars. A
flooring sheet 1220 is fastened to the mounting portion using screw fastener
1232 through the V. A top
view 1240 shows the sheet 1220 the top of fasteners 1232 which fasten the
sheet to the bracket.
The flooring bracket can thus be used as part of a guarding system for
mounting a floor sheet to cover a
grid mesh floor. Figures 13A to 13F illustrate isometric views 1310, 1320,
1330, 1340, 1350 and 1360 of
the installation of floor brackets and mounting of a sheet to a grid mesh
floor 1000 according to an
embodiment. This system can be installed by first obtaining a plurality of
flooring brackets and sheets.
The sheets may be made of any suitable material such as steel mesh, flat or
patterned sheet, wood, plastic
etc. It may further include tread or an anti-slip pattern or treatment on one
side. A floor bracket 1100 is
inserted into the gap between two adjacent support members until the flooring
bracket is retained by the
two adjacent support members as shown in views 1310 and 1320 of Figures 13A
and 13B. The resiliency
of the bracket and the flange portions and lower projections allow the bracket
to be inserted, and to self-
lock in place. Multiple flooring brackets are inserted and a sheet 1220 is
placed over the top of them as
illustrated in views 1330 and 1340 of Figures 13C and 13D. Then for each of
the flooring brackets
inserted into the gap between two adjacent support members a sheet is fastened
to the top surface of the
inserted flooring bracket via the mounting portion. This may be performed
using various fasteners such as
self drilling TEK screws 1232 as shown in views 1350 and 1360 of Figures 13E
and 13F. Finally adjacent
sheets may be fastened together using fasteners such as self drilling TEK
screws.
Another embodiment of a flooring bracket 1400 is illustrated in Figures 14A to
14D which comprises an
upper portion 1410, a fastener 1420 and a lower channel portion 1430. Figures
14A is an isometric view
1401 from above and Figure 14B is an isometric view 1402 from below of a
flooring bracket. Figures
14C to 14E illustrate orthographic top 1403, side 1404, and end views 1405 of
the upper portion, and
Figures 14F to 14H illustrate orthographic top 1406, side 1407, and end views
1408 of the lower channel
portion. The upper portion 1410 includes an upper surface into which a
fastener may be fastened to secure
a flooring sheet onto the upper surface. The upper portion further includes
two flange portions 1412, 1413
which project downwards into the gap between adjacent load bars 1012 1014.
These lock against the load
bars to prevent or limit rotation of the inserted bracket. The width of the
flange portions can be selected
based on a predefmed minimum load bar spacing (eg for a known mesh), or a
range of brackets may be
provided with varying flange lengths to accommodate different or variations in
load bar spacing. The
upper portion also has a recess 1414 with an aperture 1415 to receive a
bracket fastener 1420. The recess
1214 is to accommodate the head of the bracket fastener 1420 so that in use
the top surface of the fastener
1420 is below the mounting surface 1410. The bracket fastener has a shaft 1422
and a threaded lower end
1424 which is received by an aperture 1436 in the lower channel portion 1430.
The channel portion has a
22
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
width less than the spacing of the load bars 1018 and a length less than the
cross bar spacing, so that the
lower channel portion may be inserted into the rectangular gap formed by
intersection of cross bars and
load bars. The opposite walls 1432, 1433 of the channel portion include
alternate cut away portions 1434,
1435. That is the cutaway sections of opposite walls are located at opposite
ends as shown in Figures
14A, 14B and 14F.
The locking action of the flooring bracket is illustrated in Figures 15A to
15F which also illustrates
isometric (1501, 1503, 1505) and side (1502, 1504, 1506) views of installation
of the bracket. In Figures
15A and 15B, the bracket 1400 is inserted between load bars 1012 1014, until
the upper portion rests on
the load bars with the flanges 1412, 1413 located between the load bars, and
with the lower channel
portion positioned so that the upper suiface of the walls 1432, 1433 are
located above the lower surface of
the load bars, whilst the cutaway portions 1434, 1435 of the walls are below
the lower surface of the load
bars. The initial distance of the lower channel portion from the top plate can
be determined prior to
installation of the bracket (eg by measuring the depth of the load bars), and
the brackets could be
provided in a preassembled form for standard floor mesh sizes. The shaft of
the fastener 1422 is rotated
which forces rotation of the channel portion, until the walls 1432 1433 rest
against the load bars as shown
in Figures 15C and 15D. Further rotation of the shaft 1433draws the lower
channel portion upwards until
cut away portions engages with the lower surface of the load bars to lock the
floor bracket in place as
shown in Figures 15E and 15F.
Figures 16A and 16B are an isometric view 1600 of a step guard for enclosing
the vertical rise between
adjacent steps in a stairway, and an isometric view 1650 of a stairway with a
fitted step guard. The riser
plate comprises a central plate 1620 with a first set of tongue and grooves
1610 along on the upper edge,
and tongue and grooves on the lower edge 1630. The central plate section is
angled with respect to the
tongue and groove sections to span the overhang 94. Typically the horizontal
overhang distance will be
defmed in a standard and the central plate will be angled so that it spans a
distance slightly in excess of
this distance (ie is over bent). For example the overhang may be 15mm in which
case the riser plate will
be angled to span as 16 or 17mm. This ensures that the plate will be sprung to
positively engage against
both the upper and lower stair. The riser plate is fitted by first removing
the nosing (stair tread) 932 of
the upper stair 930 and then inserting the lower tongues of the riser plate
into the gaps between cross bars
at the rear edge of the lower stair. The upper tongue and grooves are then
placed against the front edge of
the upper stair and the stair tread is refastened to the upper stair to lock
the riser plate in place. This is
further illustrated in the isometric view 1650 of stairs fitted with the riser
plate in Figure 16.
Additionally the tongues (or projections) in the upper first set of tongue and
grooves may be offset with
respect to the tongues in the lower second set of tongue and grooves in order
to accommodate a range of
distances between the edge of a step and the first cross bar in the step. This
increases the usability of the
rise plate as the offset distance 918 to the first cross bar, and then the
subsequent cross bars, may not be
23
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
located in a position to allow all the lower tongues of the riser plate to be
inserted into gaps in the lower
stair, ie one of the tongues may foul on a crossbar and prevent insertion into
the lower step. In such a
case the riser plate may be inverted, and as the tongues are offset between
the top and bottom, the offset
may be sufficient to allow the previously upper tongues to be inserted into
the lower gap. In this case the
fouling tongue is thus replaced with a clearing groove. As steps typically
have standard widths, and cross
bars in grid mesh typically have standard offset distances (eg 100mm), then
the required offset between
the upper and lower tongues can be predetermined during manufacture based on
these known distances so
that the riser can be used on most stairs in either the standard or inverted
configuration.
A further advantage of this riser is that it reuses the existing nosing on
stairs, which thus saves overall
cost (as new treads are not required). The plate may be manufactured from
0.8mm steel plate sufficient to
resist denting by steel cap boots or dropped objects. Additionally apertures
such as slots or vents may be
cut into the riser plate to reduce wind load on the structure. Alternatively
other materials such as flattened
diamond mesh or perforated steel may be used.
Figures 17A and 17B are an isometric view 1700 of another step guard for
enclosing the vertical rise
between adjacent steps in a stairway, and an isometric view 1750 of a stairway
with a fitted step guard.
In this embodiment the upper edge includes a stair tread, and the unit is not
invertible. This step guard
may thus be used on new stairs or on existing stairs if the existing nosing is
removed. The lower edge still
includes a set of tongue and grooves 1730, although fewer tongues
(projections) are used in this
embodiment. The spacing is again based on the known or predetermined spacing
of crossbars. In the
event that a tongue fouls a cross bar, it can be bent backwards (away from the
stair) or cut off as required.
The rise section 1720 is again inclined and over bent to ensure it engages
both stairs. The tread 1710
includes an anti-slip surface, such as burst extruded holes or abrasive
coating. The tread or riser plate may
be secured to the upper stair using fasteners such as To( screws into the
stair or by using the flooring
bracket described above inserted into the gaps in the front of the stair. The
plate may be manufactured
from 1.2mm steel plate to provide a strong edge on the stair tread.
Additionally apertures such as slots or
vents may be cut into the riser plate to reduce wind load on the structure.
Alternatively other materials
such as flattened diamond mesh, perforated steel (or other metals or metal
alloys), wire mesh, plastics,
etc may be used.
Figures 18A and 18B are an isometric view 1800 of a another step guard for
enclosing the vertical rise
between adjacent steps in a stairway and for covering the top surface of the
step, and an isometric view
1850 of a stairway with a fitted step guard. In this embodiment the riser
plate 1830 is inclined with a flat
top edge 1840 for engaging the front face of the upper step. Additionally
apertures such as slots or vents
may be cut into the riser plate to reduce wind load on the structure.
Alternatively other materials such as
flattened diamond mesh, perforated steel (or other metals or metal alloys),
wire meshes, plastics, etc may
be used. The step guard also includes a stair plate 1820, for at least
partially covering and reducing the
24
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
size of the gaps between grid mesh elements in the lower step, as shown in
view 1850. The stair plate
may be manufactured from steel plate, with no apertures, perforated steel
plate, steel plate with burst
extruded holes, or other metals or plastics etc. To provide a strong burst
extruded edge the plate may be
manufactured from 1.2mm steel plate. The step guard also includes a stair
tread 1810 for engaging with
the front and upper edge of the lower step. The overhang of the stair tread
1810 will be sufficient to sit
over the top edge 1840 of the lower step guard. A single set of horizontal
fasteners may be used to fasten
a step guard to a step. Alternatively the flooring bracket described above
maybe inserted into the gaps in
the front of the stair and vertical fasteners such as TEK screws used to
fasten the step guard to the top of
the stair. In another embodiment, the top edge 1840 could be omitted so that
adjacent step guards
approach each other (eg leaving a small 5mm gap) or meet, rather than
overlapping.
In an alternative embodiment, the riser plate could be attached to the bottom
of the stair guard (ie front
edge), and only a small vertical section (equivalent to 1840) provide on the
rear edge of the stair plate (for
overlapping with the bottom of the riser plate of the next step guard. In this
case a step guard such as that
illustrated in Figure 17A to 18A would be required for the final vertical gap
between the last stair and a
platform.
In regions subject to high wind loads, the guard panels may be wire mesh
arrangements such as those
illustrated in Figures 19A to 19F. These may be joined together using splice
brackets (or plates) as shown
in Figures 19A to 19F and 20A to 20D. Figure 19A shows an isometric view 1901,
of two adjacent mesh
panels 1910, 1911 which are joined along edge 1912. In this embodiment the
wires in the mesh are
spaced to form a 25mm x 50mm aperture. The bracket is illustrated in a close
up isometric view 1903 in
Figure 19C, and a side section view 2050 shown in Figure 20E. The splice
bracket 1913 is formed using a
rear bracket 2010 having a plurality of apertures 2012 along the centre line
as shown in Figure 20A (eg
25.4mm x 100mm) and a wide front plate 2030 with aperture 2032 as shown in
Figure 20C (eg 25.4mm x
45mm). The rear bracket spans the adjacent panels and has flanged edged 2013
2014. The vertical length
of the rear bracket is greater than at least the horizontal mesh spacing so
that adjacent horizontal mesh
wires are contained within the flanged edges of the rear bracket as shown in
Figure 20E. A first wide
bracket 2030 is placed over one half of the bracket to enclose the horizontal
mesh wires of one of the
mesh panels, and a fastener 1915 is used to fasten the wide bracket 2030 to
the rear bracket 2010 as
shown in Figure 20E. The width of the wide bracket (eg 45mm) is less than the
width or spacing of the
vertical mesh wires of the mesh panel (eg 50mm). This procedure is then
repeated with a second wide
bracket 2030 to fasten the rear bracket to the adjacent panel, thereby joining
(or fastening) the adjacent
panels together to form the splice bracket.
In the case that wire mesh is used, the washer plate of Figure 2J may be used.
Figures 21A to 21D to
isometric views 2101, 2102, 2103, 2104 of the washer plate of Figure 2J in a
range of orientations for
fastening the guard panel to the bracket. Figure 21A illustrates a wire mesh
with adjacent vertical wires
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
2121 and 2122, and adjacent horizontal wires 2123 and 2124. A washer plate
2131 is fastened to a
bracket 2110 clamped to a knee rail 2111 (via TEK screws 2133 and 2134) on an
angle such that the
flanges of the washer plate are directed towards the wire mesh and enclose
vertical wire 2121. Figure 21B
illustrates the same wire mesh but with the washer plate 2132 horizontal such
that the flanges of the
washer plate are directed towards the wire mesh and enclose horizontal wire
2124. Figure 21C illustrates
a wire mesh with adjacent vertical wires 2125 and 2126, and adjacent
horizontal wires 2127 and 2128. A
washer plate 2151 is fastened to a bracket 2140 clamped to a stanchion 2141
(via TEK screws 2153 and
2154) in an inverted vertical orientation (ie with outwardly directed flanges)
so that horizontal wires 2127
and 2128 are clamped between the washer plate and the mounting plate of the
bracket. Figure 21D
illustrates the same wire mesh but with the washer plate 2152 vertical such
that the flanges of the washer
plate are directed towards the wire mesh and enclose vertical wire 2126.
Narrow meshes can also be provided for corners, or specialised sections, such
as near stairs as shown in
Figures 19B, 19D to 19F (eg with apertures of 25mm x 25mm). Adjacent mesh
panels can be joined
using a combination of rear bracket 2010 (eg 25.4mm x 100mm), narrow bracket
2020 (eg 25.4mm x
20mm) and wide brackets 2030 (eg 25.4mm x 45mm). Figure 19D illustrates an
isometric view 1904 of
joining a wide mesh 1910 with a narrow mesh 1920, and uses a single rear
bracket 2010 to span adjacent
meshes, a single wide bracket 2030 for use with the wide mesh, and two narrow
brackets 2020 for use
with narrow mesh. Each of the narrow brackets 2030 has a width less than the
width of the vertical mesh
wires of the narrow mesh panel. Figure 19E illustrates an isometric view 1905
of the joining of two
narrow meshes, and uses a single rear bracket to span adjacent meshes, and a
set of two narrow brackets
for use with each narrow mesh (ie four in total). Figures 19B and 19F
illustrates isometric views 1902
1906 of the joining of a horizontal narrow mesh panel 1920 to an inclined mesh
panel 1930. Figure 20D
illustrates a U shaped end piece 2040 with a channel 2042 which receives and
encloses the edge of the
inclined panel 1930 (eg over a distance of about 50mm so it overlaps the rear
bracket). A rear bracket is
attached to a narrow mesh panel using two narrow brackets 2020, and a fastener
1924 is then fastened
through the U shaped end piece such that the fastener is contained with a grid
of the inclined grid mesh,
and then fastened to the rear bracket 2020 (via one of the apertures 2014).
Variants of the above system are also possible. For example a dropped object
prevention system can be
provided for a guardrail comprising a plurality of support members each having
a predefined profile and a
floor. A plurality of brackets can be attached to two or more of the plurality
of support members and can
be used for mounting a guard panel. Each bracket comprises a post engaging
portion to allow the bracket
to be clipped onto and retained about a support member from above the floor
and within the guardrail
prior to clamping, and then subsequently clamped around the support member.
The bracket also
comprises a mounting portion comprising a mounting plate to allow mounting of
the guard panel to the
bracket, and a standoff arm for spacing the mounting plate from the post. The
system also comprises a
plurality of guard panels for attachment to the plurality of brackets to
enclose at least a portion of a
26
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
vertical space of an open sidewall of the guardrail. Each guard panel is
mounted to the mounting portion
of at least one bracket, and in use is mounted from above the floor and within
the guard rail. In one
embodiment each bracket has an open configuration to allow the bracket to be
clipped onto one of the
plurality of support member, and the post engaging portion spans at least a
1800 angle around the post
and having a radius matching the radius of the post, and the bracket is
manufactured from resilient
material such that when clipped onto the post the bracket does not plastically
deform. Each guard panel
can comprise a plurality of apertures or a mesh to reduce the weight and wind
load of the system.
The system and components, and variants described herein, can be retrofitted
to open safety barrier
systems, such as handrails, guardrails, walkways, platforms, etc, or can be
included as part of the
installation of such barrier systems. The modularity of the components in the
system also allows selective
use of the components, or the complete system only in those regions requiring
additional protection. For
example the complete system may only be required in locations which are
elevated or which may become
slippery (whether due to environmental effects or spillage of materials being
carried). Alternatively just
the guard panels could just be fitted around elevated platforms where the
greatest risk is losing equipment
or even persons through the gaps in the handrail. Similarly for handrails or
walkways which provide a
safe passage between equipment, the guard panels and/or flooring could only be
placed where it is
important to prevent accidental contact by a person and surrounding equipment
(such as due to a person
falling through the gaps in the handrail) or even to stop material being
carried on the walkway from
accidentally contaminating the surrounding area. The system could also be
provided as a kit or kits (eg
side panel kit, stairway kit, flooring kit, etc ) comprising one or more
components described herein such
as brackets guard panels, fasteners, washer plates, joiners, floor brackets,
flooring, riser plates etc.
Further the system and components do not require the installer to place
themselves or tools outside of
barrier and into potentially unsafe locations, allowing safe installation from
above the floor and within the
guard rails. For example, in the case of an elevated walkway the installer can
remain safely within the
confines of the walkway at all times whilst installing the system, and there
is typically no need for the
installer to put an arm holding a tool outside the handrail or under a stair
or platform, or perform any
work at height (eg from external scaffolding or cranes). Further the use of a
clipping configuration on the
brackets allows them to be placed on and retained around support members. The
spring action of bracket
securely clips the bracket to the pipe when in the open position. Thus there
is little or no risk of the
bracket falling and the installer is then free to safely pick up other
components or tools without losing or
dropping the bracket. Further the standoff arm of the bracket allows panel to
be secured to the bracket
from inside of the handrail. This allows safe installation and ensures that
these components do not
become dropped objects themselves. Similarly the installation of the floor
brackets and sheets can be
done from above (i.e. on the walkway) and again does not require the installer
to place themselves or
tools outside of the confines of the walkway. Thus the installer can safely
and progressively install the
system.
27
CA 02821307 2013-06-12
WO 2012/079126 PCT/AU2011/001622
Another advantage of the system is that it doesn't compromise the structural
integrity of an existing safety
barrier system. The use of brackets which clip onto the existing handrail or
walkway structure eliminates
the need for drilling into or welding to the handrail structure. The use of
open mesh panels or sheets with
apertures adds minimal additional wind load. Another advantage of the system
is that it avoids the need to
perform any hot work (e.g. welding) when installing the system. In some
industrial sites (e.g. chemical
sites and mines) hot work can be potentially dangerous, or incur significant
overhead such as shutting
down certain processes and obtaining hot work permits, barricading off of
areas and posting of sentries,
and thus avoiding any need to perform hot work simplifies the overall
installation process, and minimally
impacts other activities occurring at the site.
Further the system and components include a number of features which can
assist in speeding up the
installation process. The use of an extended slot in the bracket allows it
deformed from hand from the
open to the closed position. Additionally the use of a plurality of holes in
the mounting bracket and in the
guarding panels means these can be installed in both flat and inclined
configurations providing greater
flexibility in use.
In summary the system and components can be installed from above the floor or
stairway and within the
hand rails, so there is no need to work at height to install the system.
Further the system and components
are by design unlikely to become dropped objects themselves during
installation. Further the system
components do not require any welding, and subsequent repainting of structures
to install. This allows
installation with minimal disturbance to the work site, as no hot work permits
are required, nor is there is
a need for a sentry nor barricading off of lower levels. The various
combination of features described
herein thus provides an efficient and useful system and components for safely
enclosing safety barrier
systems such as handrails, walkways, stairs, platforms, and other open
barriers used in a variety of
locations.
Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context
requires otherwise, the words
"comprise" and "include" and variations such as "comprising" and "including"
will be understood to
imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the
exclusion of any other integer or
group of integers. The reference to any prior art in this specification is
not, and should not be taken as, an
acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of
the common general
knowledge. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the system
is not restricted in its use to
the particular application described. Neither is the present system restricted
in its preferred embodiment
with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted
herein, including dimensions
and materials. It will be appreciated that the system is not limited to the
embodiment or embodiments
disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and
substitutions without departing
from the scope of as set forth and defmed by the following claims.
28
