FOLDABLE SAFETY BARRICADE
A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels. Each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly. Each hinge assembly has a rotational axis offset from a vertical plane of one of the adjacent panels. The barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein the panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space, such as an elevator machine room, and a deployed configuration wherein the panels are unfolded to form a barrier blocking access to a segregated work area. Each of the panels of the barricade has a different width to enable the panels to fold flat against an adjacent panel in the folded configuration. In one embodiment the barricade comprises a mounting assembly for rotatably mounting a first one of the panels to a support structure within the confined space. The mounting assembly permits vertical displacement of the barricade relative to the support structure when the barricade is moved between the folded and deployed configurations. Each panel of the barricade is symmetrical about a centerline extending between first and second side edges thereof. The barricade may thus be positioned in either a first orientation adapted for left-hand mounting on a support surface or in a second orientation inverse to the first orientation adapted for right-hand mounting on a support surface.
This application relates to a foldable safety barricade for blocking access to a work area.
BACKGROUNDIndustry regulations require the use of safety barricades to identify active work areas within public spaces. For example, safety barricades have been widely used in the elevator and escalator industry to segregate work areas and block public access. Folding barricades of various types have existed for well over 10 years and have usually included a tubular frame with fabric panels or interlocking corrugated plastic panels. Such barricades are typically temporary in nature and are transported to and from work site locations by maintenance and repair personnel.
Though current tubular frame and corrugated plastic safety barricades have met with commercial success, there is a need for barricades which are more easily stored, transported and deployed. There is a particular need for barricades which can be conveniently stored in very confined spaces, such as elevator machine rooms.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.
Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.
This application relates to a foldable barricade 10 comprising a plurality of interconnected panels 12. In one embodiment shown in
As described below and as best seen in
Barricade 10 may either be free-standing or mounted on a support surface. As shown in
In one embodiment best illustrated in
Mounting assembly 30 further includes a plurality of mounting blocks 48. In the illustrated embodiment (
As best shown in
Barricade 10 can be similarly displaced vertically relative to the support structure in the reverse order as described above when it is adjusted from the deployed (
In one embodiment, the first side edge 28 of panel 12A may be mounted to a support structure as described above and the second side edge 32 of panel 12A is hingedly connected to panel 12 B using a hinge assembly 34. As shown best in
As shown in
Panel 12C (
Each panel 12A-12D also includes hand-holes 78 to assist in carrying barricade 10. As explained above, barricade 10 can be carried and deployed in both a right-hand and left-hand orientation which are vertically inverse. Accordingly hand-holes 78 are provided near both the “top” and “bottom” of each panel 12A-12D. Each panel 12A-12D also includes one or more mounting holes 80 for fastening panels 12A-12D together in the fully folded position or for hanging barricade 10 on a support hook etc.
In one embodiment of barricade 10 panels 12A-12D may be made of closed cell PVC board for light weight and optimum strength. Safety warnings, signage or other suitable indicia may be mounted on panels 12A-12D as desired.
In order to ensure that panels 12A-12D rest flat against one another in the fully folded position (
In one embodiment of barricade 10 shown for example in
Each slotted hinge pin 82 also includes reamed holes 90 formed in their end portions. Each hole 90 receives an end portion of a connecting pin 92 for coupling a slotted hinge pin 82 to an adjacent unslotted hinge pin 84 (
As described further below, a removable rubber foot 104 may be fitted on end portion 102 for supporting barricade 10 on a floor or other support surface (
As shown best in
As shown in
While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.
Claims
1. A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels, wherein each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly, wherein said hinge assembly has a rotational axis offset from a plane of one of said adjacent panels, whereby said barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein said panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space and a deployed configuration wherein said panels are unfolded to form a barrier blocking access to a work area.
2. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said panels is a sheet which is positioned flat against another one of said panels in said folded configuration.
3. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein each hinge assembly comprises a plurality of first hinge pins mounted in spaced relation on a side surface of said one of said adjacent panels and a plurality of second hinge pins mounted on an edge of another panel hingedly coupled to said one of said adjacent panels, wherein each of second hinge pins is rotatably coupled between a pair of said first hinge pins for rotation about said rotational axis.
4. The barricade as defined in claim 3, wherein said first and second hinge pins are vertically aligned in a plane offset from said plane of said one of said adjacent panels.
5. The barricade as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said second hinge pins comprises a longitudinal slot for securely receiving a corresponding tab formed on said edge of said another panel.
6. The barricade as defined in claim 3, wherein said side surface is a surface of a protruding tab formed at one edge of said one of said adjacent panels.
7. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein a first one of said interconnected panels is mountable on a support structure within said confined space.
8. The barricade as defined in claim 7, comprising a mounting assembly for rotatably mounting one of said interconnected panels to said support structure.
9. The barricade as defined in claim 8, wherein said mounting assembly comprises a plurality of mounting blocks mounted on said support surface in spaced relation and a plurality of shuttle hinges mounted in spaced relation on said one of said interconnected panels on an edge thereof, wherein each of said shuttle hinges is positioned between a pair of said mounting blocks and is rotatable relative thereto.
10. The barricade as defined in claim 8, wherein said mounting assembly permits vertical displacement of said barricade relative to support structure when said barricade is moved between said folded and deployed configurations.
11. The barricade as defined in claim 9, wherein said shuttle hinges are vertically displaceable relative to said mounting blocks.
12. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said interconnected panels has a different width.
13. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein said barricade comprises a first end panel, a second end panel and between zero and four intermediate panels connected between said first and second end panels, wherein each panel from said first end panel to said second end panel is progressively smaller in width.
14. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said interconnected panels comprising at least one opening, wherein said opening on one panel is aligned with said opening on each of said other panels when said barricade is in said folded configuration.
15. The barricade as defined in claim 14, wherein said opening is a hand-hold.
16. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein said barricade is positionable in a first orientation adapted for left-hand mounting on a support surface or in a second orientation inverse to said first orientation adapted for right-hand mounting on a support surface.
17. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said panels has a first side edge and a second side edge, and wherein each of said panels is symmetrical about a centerline extending between said first and second side edges.
18. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said barricade in said folded configuration is approximately 0.25 inches per panel.
19. The barricade as defined in claim 1, wherein said barricade comprises between 2 and 6 panels.
20. The barricade as defined in claim 8, wherein said one of said interconnected panels comprises a cut-out portion adjacent said mounting assembly to provide a clearance allowance when said barricade is moved between said folded and deployed configurations.
21. A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels, wherein each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly and wherein said barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein said panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space and a deployed configuration wherein said panels are unfolded to form a barrier, wherein each of said panels is positioned flat against another one of said panels in said folded configuration.
22. A safety barricade comprising a plurality of interconnected panels, wherein each pair of adjacent panels is hingedly coupled together with a hinge assembly and wherein said barricade is adjustable between a folded configuration wherein said panels extend in parallel planes immediately adjacent one another for storage in a confined space and a deployed configuration wherein said panels are unfolded to form a barrier, wherein a first one of said interconnected panels is mountable on a support structure within said confined space.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 10, 2014
Publication Date: Mar 12, 2015
Inventors: Troy Sean COOPER (Abbotsford), Dean Ivan COOPER (Delta)
Application Number: 14/482,933