AU659817B2 - Support means - Google Patents

Description

9817 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION For a Standard Patent

ORIGINAL

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TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: ROOF SAFE PTY LTD Actual Inventor(s): DONALD WILLIAM HAYMAN Address for Service: WRAY ASSOCIATES, Primary Industry House, 239 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

Attorney code: WR Invention Title: "SUPPORT MEANS" u

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5 Details of Associated Provisional Application No: PK4179 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- THIS INVENTION relates to a support means. The support means of the present invention is particularly, although not exclusively, suited for supporting safety apparatus such as guard and safety rails on buildings and other structures.

To enhance safety on building sites, it is common to use guard rails at the perimeter of a working area, particularly when the working area is elevated.

Conventional guard rail systems comprise a hand rail, a knee rail, and on occasion, a kick board. Normally, these guard rail systems are supported from stanchions which in turn are fixed to the building.

It has previously been found difficult to conveniently adapt these conventional guard rail systems for use on roofs for houses, especially the commonly used pitched rafter type housing roofs. Therefore, an aim of the present invention is to provide a support means that is able to be used with guard rail systems for pitched rafter type roofs.

Thus, the invention provides a support means for supporting safety apparatus on buildings and other structures comprising an elongate member, one end of the elongate member being provided with an attachment means so as to allow attachment to a structural member having at least two opposed faces, the attachment means comprising two spaced apart engaging portions, wherein the distance between the engaging portions is greater than the distance between the opposed faces of the structural member whereby upon attachment of the support means to the structural member each engaging portion can engage a respective one of said two opposed faces of the structural member and the support is held in that position due to the centre of gravity in the support means being located to oo spaced towards another end of the elongate member at or towards which said 25 safety apparatus can be attached to the elongate member, and a releasable locking means for releasably locking the attachment means to the structural member.

Preferably the elongate member comprises two portions, the two portions being arranged such that upon attachment of the support means to the structural 30 member one portion, an upper portion, is located substantially above the remaining portion, a lower portion, wherein the lower portion generally corresponds with that end of the elongate member having the attachment means provided thereat and the upper portion generally corresponds with the remaining end.

The lower portion is preferably at an angle with respect to said upper portion. In this way, the angle between said upper portion and said lower portion may be such that in use the upper portion is substantially vertical.

Preferably, said releasable locking means comprises a clamp.

It w'!l be noted that in the preferred forms described above the upper portion of said support means forms a stanchion for attaching knee and/or hand rails.

The invention will now be described by reference to :he accompanying drawings illustrating a number of specific embodiments, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a support means according to a first embodiment; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the support means shown in Fig. I as used on a roof; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the support means shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a support means according to a second embodiment; Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the support means of Fig. 4 as attached to a roof; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a support means according to a third embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a support means according to a fourth embodiment.

CO l The first embodiment of the invention, as best seen in Fig. 1, is directed to a support means 10 for use in a guard railing system for a pitched rafter roof. The support means is adapted so as to provide a stanchion for the attachment of 25 guard railing or the like.

ii The support means of the first embodiment comprises an elongate member 11 defined by an upper portion 13 and a lower portion The elongate member 11 is formed of a rectangular hollow section which gives maximum rigidity in the plane of the support means, a desirable feature given that do 30 the railing will extend perpendicular to the plane of the support means.

N1/ 4~ 0 The upper portion 13 defines a stanchion to which railing may be fixed. Apertures 17 are provided to accommodate hook bolts 18 which allow the releasable attachment of hand rails and/or knee rails Although not shown, simple modifications can be made to adapt the elongate member so as to accept a kick board.

Provided at the lower end of the lower portion 15 is an attachment means 19, for attachment to a roof rafter 21 having a pair of opposing faces 27 as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

The attachment means 19, is provided with a pair of spaced apart engaging portions generally depicted by the numeral 22 in the form of rectangular tabs 23 and 25 which extend at an angle from the elongate member towards each other.

Extending from the free ends of each tab 23 and 25 is a rectangular plate numbered 29 and 31 respectively. The plates 29 and 31 are in parallel alignment with one another and are both parallel to the lower portion 15 of the elongate member 11. Each tab and plate arrangement is further supported by the provision of a support member 32 which projects at right angles from the lower portion 'to the intersection between the tab and plate.

The opening 33 defined between the inner ends of the plates 29 and 31 is adapted to accept the thickness of the rafter 21 across the opposing faces 27.

2o The plates 29 and 31 are each provided with threaded apertures 39 and associated threaded bolts (not shown). The threaded bolts are able to be S" manually screwed into and through the associated threaded apertures 39 towards oo the elongate member 11 The combination of either one of the plates 29 or 31 together with the threaded i: i 25 apertures 39 and associated threaded bolts, and the adjacent portion 37 of the elongate member 1 1 provides a releasable locking means in the form of a clamp.

The fixed jaw of the clamp is defined by the adjacent portion 37 of the elongate member 11 and the moving jaw is defined by the threaded bolt mounted in either or both of the plates 29 or 31.

3o Figs. 2 and 3 show the support means of the first embodiment as mounted to a.

i conventional pitched rafter roof. In the particular roof shown the rafters in the vicinity of the eaves 39 are exposed. The support means 10 is mounted to the roof by mounting engaging portion 22a below and engaging portion 22b above a particular rafter. The upper portion 13 of the elongate member 11 is disposed towards the perimeter of the roof. Once the support means has been mounted to the rafter the threaded bolts of the releasable locking means may be manually engaged to the rafter thereby clamping the support means 10 to the rafter.

Once mounted, the upper portion 13 of the support means lies in a substantially vertical plane close to the periphery of the roof. This will allow workmen acce.,s to most of the roof surface and is considered to be highly desirable. Figure 2 shows a plurality of support means 10 attached to each exposed rafter and having guard railing affixed to their upper portions.

It should be appreciated that the support means of the first embodiment has a self-locking action since the centre of gravity of each support means 10 acts to keep each engaging portion in abutmen+ with the rafter. This is highly desirable as it provides backup safety in case the bolts of the releasable locking means are not tightened properly. Furthermore should a workman have cause to support himself from the guard railing the forces acting upon the railings will, in all probability, act outwardly from the roof thereby increasing the engaging force of the support means to the rafter.

The support means 10 of the second embodiment, as best seen in Fig. 4, is very similar to that of the first embodiment except that Lhe lower portion 15 is substantially longer with the upper portion 13 extending below its intersection with the lower portion 15 and is braced by the provision of a brace 41 to the lower portion 25 This particular support means 10 is especially suitable for use on roofs where the e rafters in the vicinity of the eaves are not exposed but are instead covered from below, as best seen in Fig. 5. In this instance it is not possible to engage the support means 10 to the rafter in the vicinity of the eaves close to the periphery of the roof.

Due to the longer lower portion 15 the support means 10 of this embodiment is able to engage the -after at a position higher up on the roof and inside the outer wall of the building, where the rafter is exposed whilst still providing for the upper portion 13 to lie in a vertical plane close to the periphery of the roof. With this arrangement access to most of the roof is still maintained.

i- I, 5 a'; A third embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 6. This embodiment is directed to a support means 10 wherein the attachment means 19 is formed integrally with the elongate member 11. In this embodiment the attachment means 19 comprises a C-shaped portion 43 which effectively functions in the same way as the attachment means of the previous embodiments. A pair of rectangular shaped plates 29 and 31 are provided at each end of the C-shaped portion 43 so that they extend towards each other and are in parallel alignment with each other. Apertures 35 are provided at the inner ends of the plates 29 and 31. Each aperture is dimensioned to receive a corresponding threaded bolt 36.

In this embodiment the upper portion 13 curves upwards at an angle from the lower portion 15 but in use the upper portion 13 is still disposed substantially vertically with respect to the roof.

Apart from these differences the support means of this embodiment attaches to the rafter 21 and functions in the same manner as the previous embodiments described.

A fourth embodiment of the invention is shown at Fig. 7. This embodiment is directed to support means 10 in which the difference lies in the attachment means. The attachment means comprises an L-shaped section attached to the end of the lower portion 20 The L-shaped portion comprises an upper plate 53 and a side plate 55 which oooo extends at right angles therefrom. The elongate member is attached to the outer surface of the upper plate 53.

a o Projecting from the inner surface of the upper plate are a pair of spaced apart engaging portions in the form of rectangular shaped projections 57 which are parallel to each other. The ends of the projections are provided with apertures through which a threaded bolt 59 is receivable as shown.

On the inner surface of the upper plate between the projections 57 is located a circular element (not shown) attached to the upper plate. The circular element is provided with a threaded aperture through which an additional bolt 61 as shown is S" 30 receivable.

30 ,t4 The upper and lower portions 13 and 15 of the support means are the same as that described in the first embodiment.

This particular embodiment is especially suitable for use on roofs where the rafters in the vicinity of the eaves are not exposed but which are instead covered from below.

Due to the provision of the engaging portions in the form of projections 57 which extend downwards from the support means 10 it is possible to attach the support means from the top of the rafter without having to engage the undersurface of the rafter. The support means 10 is then releasably locked in place by screwing the bolts through their associated apertures to engage the rafter.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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Claims (12)

1. A support means for supporting safety apparatus on buildings and other structures comprising an elongate member, one end of the elongate member being provided with an attachment means so as to allow attachment to a structural member having at least two opposed faces, the attachment means comprising two spaced apart engaging portions, wherein the distance between the engaging portions is greater than the distance between the opposed faces of the structural member whereby upon attachment of the support means to the structural member each engaging portion can engage a respective one of said two opposed faces of the structural member and the support is held in that position due to the centre of gravity in the support means being located spaced towards another end of the elongate member at or towards which said safety apparatus can be attached to the elongate member, and a releasable locking means for releasably locking the attachment means to the structural member.

2. A support means according to claim 1, wherein the elongate member comprises two portions being an upper portion and a lower portion, the attachment means being provided on the lower portion.

3. A support means according to claim 2 wherein the lower and upper portions are angularly offset with respect to each other.

4. A support means according to claim 3, wherein the &iigle between the lower and upper portions of the elongate member is such that upon attachment of same to the structural member the upper portion is substantially vertical.

5. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there are two of said releasable locking means for releasably locking the attachment means to the structural member. :l i

6. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each releasable locking means comprises a clamp.

7. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engaging portions of the attachment means each comprise at least a support member projecting outwardly from the elongate member whereby the support member can engage the face of the structural member.

8. A support means according to claim 7, wherein the engaging portions each further comprises a plate arranged at the outer end of the respective support member, the plate being substantially parallel to the elongate member.

9. A support means according to claim 8, wherein the distance between the plates of the engaging portions is greater than that between the opposing faces of the structural member to which the support means is to be fitted.

A support means according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the clamp is associated with the respective plate.

11. A support means according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the clamp comprises a threaded bolt received in a threaded aperture in the respective plate such that the bolt can be tightened to grip against the structural member thereby to clampingly engage the structural member between the bolt and elongate member.

12. A support means for supporting guard and safety rails substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, 4 to 5 or 6 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this TWENTY-SEVENTH day of MARCH 1995 o*o* ROOF SAFE PTY LTD oo Applicant *e WRAY ASSOCIATES Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for Applicant boo ABSTRACT A support means which provides a stanchion for attaching guard or safety rails or the like comprising an elongate o* 0 member one end of which is provided with attachment means rr, for attachment to a structural member. The structural 'ma member has at least two opposed faces. The attachment means comprises two spaced apart engaging portions wherein the distance between the engaging portions is greater than the corresponding distance between the opposed faces. The guard or safety rails or the like are capable of being secured at or towards the other end of the elongate member. a a al