Integrated safety rail protection system

• US 8,726,577 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rooftop Anchor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Safepro
• Inventors: Whiting, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Binda, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amiri, Nahid
• Application Number:
  US12/825,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20110017967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 256 25- 27, 256/38, 256/39, 256/59, 52/19, 52/20, 521/74, 521/84
• US Class Current: 52/20
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/122 Steps or handrails for shafts
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/127 with devices for impeding fall or injuries of persons
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/1418 with implements to assist in lifting, e.g. counterweights, springs lifting devices for covers B66F19/005
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/0335 Skylight guards, security devices protecting skylights or preventing objects or persons from falling through skylight openings
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/3204 against falling down
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/006 Devices for preventing access
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/182 situated at the top of the ladder

Abstract

A unique safety rail system with integrated hand-grip projections, structures for affixing the system for the safe and easy egress and ingress through an opening, such as roof or floor access holes. The safety rail system is designed to reduce the risk of falls while ascending or descending a ladder through an access hole while providing additional protection and prevention of personnel accidentally falling through an open access. A self-closing gravity gate may be provided acting as additional hand-grip, support, and barrier. This system may employ methods of construction and assembly using a unique continuous tubular structure of converging vertical and angular upright post with horizontal upper safety rail, forward protruding hand-grip and opposing directionally horizontal lower attachment support means reducing lateral motion and allows efficient installation for new construction or retro fitting of existing openings.

Claims

1. A safety rail protection system adaptable to be positioned adjacent to a portal to aid in at least one of ingress and egress through the portal, the safety rail protection system comprising:

a hinged gate having an opening operable to open outwardly;

a first side rail, wherein the first side rail includes a first side gate projection extending at least partially into the hinged gate opening, and a first side hand-grip projection operable to provide a first gripping surface to aid in at least one of ingress and egress through the portal; and

a second side rail, wherein the second side rail includes a second side gate projection extending at least partially into the hinged gate opening, and a second side hand-grip projection operable to provide a second gripping surface to aid in at least one of ingress and egress through the portal.

2. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, further comprising a back rail member positioned substantially between the first side rail and the second side rail.

3. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the hinged gate couples with the first side gate projection at an interface.

4. The safety rail protection system of claim 3, further comprising a hinge structure positioned adjacent to the interface of the hinged gate and the first side gate projection.

5. The safety rail protection system of claim 3, further comprising a biasing structure positioned adjacent to the interface of the hinged gate and the first side gate projection.

6. The safety rail protection system of claim 4, wherein the hinge structure comprises a hinge housing having a generally cylindrical shaft opening with at least one recess, and a generally cylindrical hinge shaft having at least one protrusion, wherein at least a portion of said shaft is positioned within said shaft opening, and wherein said protrusion interfaces with said recess to limit the rotation of the shaft within the hinge housing.

7. The safety rail protection system of claim 5, where the biasing structure is a coil spring.

8. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the hinged gate couples with the second side gate projection at an interface.

9. The safety rail protection system of claim 8, wherein the interface comprises a latching structure positioned adjacent the hinged gate and the second side gate projection.

10. The safety rail protection system of claim 9, wherein the latching structure is a gravity rocker latch.

11. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the first side hand-grip projection comprises a first segment extending at a first angle from the first side gate projection, and a second segment extending at a second angle from the first segment of the first side hand-grip projection.

12. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the second side hand-grip projection comprises a first segment extending at a first angle from the second side gate projection, and a second segment extending at a second angle from the first segment of the second side hand-grip projection.

13. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the railing system is at least partially knurled.

14. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the first side rail and the second side rail each further comprise a cross rail member.

15. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the first side rail and the second side rail each are formed from a continuous tube.

16. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein said hinged gate has an open position and a closed position, wherein in said closed position the hinged gate interfaces with the first side gate projection and the second side gate projection, wherein in said open position the hinged gate interfaces with only one of the first side gate projection and the second side gate projection, and whereupon releasing the hinged gate from said open position, it returns, via gravity, to said closed position.

17. The safety rail protection system of claim 16, wherein said hinged gate is adaptable to be fixed in the open position.

18. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the hinged gate is formed from a single continuous tube.

19. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the first side rail further comprises a front mounting projection and a rear mounting projection.

20. The safety rail protection system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the front mounting projection and the rear mounting projection extends substantially perpendicular to the first side rail in at least one plane.

21. The safety rail protection system of claim 19, further comprising a mounting structure, for attachment adjacent to the portal, having an opening for receiving at least one of a portion of the front mounting projection and the rear mounting projection.

22. The safety rail protection system of claim 21, wherein the mounting structure is a generally hollow tube.

23. The safety rail protection system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the front mounting projection and the rear mounting projection are mounted adjacent to the portal using a fastener.

24. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the second side rail further comprises a front mounting projection and a rear mounting projection.

25. The safety rail protection system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the front mounting projection and the rear mounting projection extends substantially perpendicular to the second side rail in at least one plane.

26. The safety rail protection system of claim 24, further comprising a mounting structure, for attachment adjacent to the portal, having an opening for receiving at least one of a portion of the front mounting projection and the rear mounting projection.

27. The safety rail protection system of claim 26, wherein the mounting structure is a generally hollow tube.

28. The safety rail protection system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the front mounting projection and the rear mounting projection are mounted adjacent to the portal using a fastener.

29. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein the hinged gate is not operable to open inwardly into a volume formed between the first side rail and the second side rail.

30. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein a primary plane of said hinged gate is positioned at an acute angle from vertical.

31. The safety rail protection system of claim 30, wherein said hinged gate operates at least partially using gravity.

32. The safety rail protection system of claim 1, wherein said hinged gate does not open past a set distance from a closed resting position of said hinged gate.